One Little Secret
by ElectronicYarn
Summary: Weiss Schnee has always known exactly who she is, what she wants, and how the world works. At least that's what she thought. Beacon Academy has turned her life into a dizzying whirlwind of change, and at the center of it all is the infuriating, unrefined, and alarmingly intriguing Yang Xiao Long. Weiss is about to learn the best-kept secrets are the ones you keep from yourself.
1. The World According to Yang Xiao Long

_Author's Note:_ _This story is basically an expanded and (much) longer version of_ On Sisters and Girlfriends _. However, the two stories don't take place in the same continuity. I guess you could say they're in neighboring alternate universes. There's no need to go read_ On Sisters and Girlfriends _before you read this story, but if you like one you'll probably like the other._

 _I should also mention that this story doesn't sync up with canon perfectly. I'll definitely be using major events that happened in canon to further the story, but I'll also be skipping a lot of them too. I guess the best I can say is this story follows canon except where it doesn't._

 _This story was written while Volume 4 was airing._

 _This is the Teen and Up version of the story. The Mature version has been posted to Archive of Our Own._

* * *

 **Chapter 1: The World According to Yang Xiao Long**

The last rays of sunshine had vanished behind the horizon over the kingdom of Vale, but despite the late hour, the city was still buzzing with activity. Lights glowed in windows, dust-fueled cars rumbled down the streets, and pedestrians crowded the walkways.

Weiss was watching the endless procession of people with her arms crossed and a scowl on her face. She was waiting outside a storefront. Yang had just stepped inside to inquire about Blake for what must have been the hundredth time today. Chasing down a fugitive was not how Weiss had planned on spending her Saturday, especially not with the end of semester exams looming. Today would have been put to much better use studying. Unfortunately, Yang and Ruby were having none of that. From the moment they'd woken up this morning they'd been scouring Vale in their search for Blake, and they'd dragged Weiss along with them.

Weiss rubbed the back of her neck, trying to ease some of the tension that was building there. She still couldn't believe that an agent of the White Fang had gotten so frighteningly close to her. She hadn't suspected Blake one bit. In fact, until yesterday she'd held Blake in high esteem. Blake's intelligence and skill were worthy of respect, and her quiet, thoughtful nature had been so refreshing when compared to a certain pair of exuberant sisters. Unfortunately, the events of yesterday had proven that Blake was nothing more than a dirty scoundrel like the rest of her ilk.

Weiss supposed that nothing was keeping her from giving up on this pointless search and returning to Beacon on her own, but she knew that neither Ruby nor Yang would look favorably on her abandoning their so-called teammate. It was to the sisters' credit that they were so forgiving, but it was also incredibly foolish of them. They had no idea how dangerous the White Fang could be.

Yang finally wandered out of the store with a worried look on her face. She said, "No one's seen Blake here either."

Weiss didn't say anything. She was hardly surprised, and she'd given up feigning interest in finding Blake hours ago.

"You know," Yang said, eyeing Weiss. "This would go a lot faster if you'd help out."

"I'm not going to waste my effort," Weiss said. "Not when what we should be doing is notifying the police."

"Notifying them about what?" Yang asked, sounding upset. "What exactly is your problem with Blake anyway?"

"How can you even ask me that?" Weiss said. "She's a member of the White Fang!"

"We don't know that for sure," Yang said.

"Don't be so naïve. Of course we do!" Weiss said. "Who knows what her purpose for infiltrating Beacon was."

Yang looked at Weiss incredulously. "Infiltrating? Really?"

"Yes really!" Weiss said. "Are you not worried about this?"

"Of course I'm worried," Yang said. "But I'm worried for Blake, not about her."

"She betrayed us all!" Weiss said.

"How?" Yang asked. "By running away when you were throwing accusations at her?"

"Hmph," Weiss said. "I hardly accused her of anything."

"Not directly, I guess, but you sure are now," Yang said. "Blake's my partner. And she's my friend. She's not what you're making her out to be. I know her."

"Do you?" Weiss asked, pointedly. "Did you even know she was a faunus?"

"Nope," Yang said. "What does that matter?"

Weiss let out a frustrated sound. She turned and took a few steps away. It seemed there was no reasoning with Yang, not when she was being so willfully ignorant. Honestly, Weiss didn't even know why she cared if Yang accepted the truth or not, but she felt it was high time that Yang saw the world for the way it was.

Weiss turned back around to try to explain things to Yang only to find herself caught in Yang's gaze. The intense look on Yang's face momentarily rendered Weiss speechless. She didn't think she'd ever seen Yang look so serious before.

Yang said, "That's what this is about, isn't it? Your problem with Blake is that she's a faunus."

Weiss scowled. "Don't talk to me in that sort of tone, Xiao Long."

"Ooh. Feisty," Yang said without a hint of humor in her voice. "Why so defensive, Princess?"

Weiss glared at Yang. "Don't call me that," she said.

"Call you what? Princess?"

"Yes. That."

"Why not? Isn't daddy's money paying your way through Beacon?"

Weiss's eyes twitched, but she managed to keep her cool. "If you must know, I have a full academic scholarship. I didn't buy my way into Beacon."

"Maybe not," Yang said. "But you're still wearing a four thousand Lien St. Blanc jacket and Christoph Roz's latest perfume."

Weiss was completely taken aback, not because Yang's remark had been particularly cutting, but because it was completely accurate. Wasn't Yang just a poor girl from some backwater island? Weiss asked, "How did you know that?"

Yang put her hands on her hips. She grinned smugly. "See what happens when you make assumptions about people?"

"I…" Weiss said.

A serious look crossed Yang's face again. "I know you said the White Fang have been targeting your family, and I'm not going to pretend to know what that's like. But Blake's been your teammate and your friend. She knew you were a Schnee from the very beginning, but she still got along with you. The second you found out she's a faunus…. I don't know. I guess I thought you were better than that."

"You…!" Weiss started, but words failed her. Yang's anger she could take, but the disappointment in Yang's eyes was another story. She said, "You might have a point."

"Why do you even care that Blake's a faunus anyway?" Yang asked.

Weiss supposed that was a fair question. It was true that Blake being a faunus had felt like as much of a betrayal as her being a member of the White Fang. However, when Weiss tried to come up with a logical reason why, she simply couldn't. It wasn't something that she'd ever thought about before.

"I'm not sure," Weiss admitted.

"I guess that's a start," Yang said.

Suddenly a flash of light illuminated the evening sky, accompanied by the low rumble of a distant explosion. Weiss turned her head and saw a fireball rising into the air in the direction of the docks.

"What was that?" Weiss asked.

"Bet you it's Blake!" Yang said. "Come on!"

"Wait, Yang. Don't…" Weiss started, but it was too late. Yang had already taken off in the direction of the docks.

Weiss sighed in exasperation. Yang's tendency to charge headlong into things was going to get her into trouble someday. After a moment's debate, Weiss started chasing after Yang. On the off-chance that Yang was right, and the explosion did somehow lead them to Blake, Weiss wanted to be there. Yang had made some good points, but Weiss knew that Yang was wrong. She had to be. If Yang was right, the implications would be unsettling.

Most of the pedestrians in front of Weiss and Yang had stopped to crane their heads at the explosion that had lit up the night. Yang dodged and weaved between the gawking bystanders and then ducked into an alley ahead. A moment later, Weiss saw her pop up on the rooftop above.

Not wanting to lose track of Yang, Weiss summoned a series of white glyphs. She leaped her way up them and gracefully landed on the roof next to Yang.

"This way!" Yang said.

Free from the obstacles down on the streets, Yang and Weiss jumped from building to building and hurriedly made their way to the docks. They paused at the edge of a rooftop when they got there and found themselves looking down at a fight.

Yang had been right. Blake was indeed in the middle of all the commotion down below. The White Fang were there too, but to Weiss's utter confusion, Blake appeared to be fighting against them.

"Let's get in there and help Blake out!" Yang said.

Weiss held a hand up in front of Yang to stop her. Yang looked annoyed at first, but when she saw the baffled look on Weiss's face, her eyes lit up with comprehension and she stayed put.

Weiss's mind raced to make sense of what she was seeing. Her first thought was that the whole thing was being staged to deceive her. Unfortunately, that didn't make any sense. The fight had clearly started before she'd gotten there, and there was no way the White Fang could have known she'd be anywhere in the vicinity tonight. She was forced to come to the unbelievable conclusion that Blake, a faunus, disagreed with the White Fang strongly enough to physically fight against them.

A nauseating feeling took hold in the pit of Weiss's stomach. Everything she been taught her whole life told her that she should despise Blake. But if Blake wasn't part of the White Fang, then the only basis for that hate was because Blake was a faunus. But what kind of reason was that? Blake had lived and fought beside her. She'd worked as hard as any of them to earn her place at Beacon. What was so different about the Blake of yesterday and the Blake down there fighting the White Fang?

Weiss slowly realized that Yang might have been right after all, and that thought frightened her more than anything.

* * *

By the time the fight had ended, both Ruby and the police had shown up on the scene. Ruby was with Blake now, and the police were rounding up the defeated and unconscious White Fang operatives. Weiss and Yang had come down from the roof, but Weiss had been reluctant to reveal herself to Blake. Even now she was peering at Blake from a distance, hiding behind the corner of one of the massive shipping containers that littered the docks.

Yang was standing right beside Weiss, casually leaning against the container. She said, "Don't you think you should go talk to her?"

"What would I even say?" Weiss asked.

"How about, 'I'm sorry'?"

"It's not that simple."

"Why not?"

Again, Weiss didn't have an immediate answer to Yang's question, and it was really starting to get on her nerves. Weiss resigned herself to the fact that sooner or later she'd have to speak to Blake again. It was probably for the best that she get it over with. She stood up straight, put on her best look of confidence, and left her hiding spot. Yang followed behind her.

Weiss made a beeline for where Blake and Ruby were standing. It was Ruby who noticed Weiss first. She jogged up to meet her and said, "Weiss! It's not what you think!"

Ruby started babbling something about Blake, but Weiss wasn't listening. She walked right past Ruby until she was face-to-face with Blake. She was dismayed to see the apprehension on Blake's face, but she couldn't really blame Blake for it.

It was Blake who spoke first. "Weiss! I want you to know that I'm no longer associated with the White Fang. Back when I was—"

"Stop," Weiss said. "Do you have any idea how long we've been searching for you? Twelve hours. That means I've had twelve hours to think about this. And in that twelve hours, I've decided…"

Weiss paused. She actually had no idea what she was about to say. From the looks on everyone's faces, neither did they. Weiss opened her mouth to speak and heard herself say, "…I don't care."

There was a moment of silence as everyone process what Weiss had just said, including Weiss herself. A confused but happy smile spread on Blake's lips, and Ruby's face lit up like she might burst from joy.

Weiss, however, was left more baffled than ever. Her head spun as doubt and relief warred inside of her. This morning she'd known what was what, but now everything was completely out of control. Weiss stole a glance at Yang, trying to find some sort of emotional anchor, but the beaming smile that Yang was giving her was anything but. It filled Weiss with a warm sensation that sent her world flying even more off-kilter.

Ruby shouted, "Yeah! Team RWBY is back together!"

Weiss decided to focus on one thing at a time. Ruby was right, the team was back together. That was what was important at the moment. She could sort everything else out later. At least, Weiss dearly hoped she could.

* * *

Weiss's confusion had not resolved itself by the time the reunited Team RWBY had returned to Beacon. Weiss had excused herself from the group as quickly as she could and set about aimlessly wandering the campus. She'd eventually ended up on the roof of one of the dormitory buildings. She had no idea what had compelled her to venture up there. It had just seemed like the thing to do.

Weiss was gazing up into the night sky from her vantage point. The shattered moon shone brightly against a backdrop of twinkling stars. The moon had entered its mended phase only a few days ago. The slightly jagged lines of its eastern edge were the only indication that it was anything less than perfect and whole. It was only a matter of time, however, before it waned again and exposed its broken face to the world below.

Weiss had known, before she'd even enrolled, that attending Beacon would be a challenge, but she would never have predicted what form that challenge would take. From almost the moment she'd set foot on campus, every preconceived notion she'd had about the world and how it worked had been challenged. It had been difficult for her, but she'd thought she'd finally found her footing. However, the past fourteen hours had changed everything yet again.

Three particular facts were stuck running through Weiss's head on an endless loop. Blake was a faunus. Blake was a member of the White Fang—a former member, Weiss corrected herself. And Blake was her friend. There was no way that all of these things could be true. It just wasn't possible.

Weiss doubted she was going to find any answers tonight, and it was getting late. She supposed that she should return to her room and get ready for bed. The only problem was that Blake would be there. Weiss's attempts to act normally around Blake on the trip back to the school had failed miserably. As much as she wanted to, she just couldn't pretend that nothing had happened. She really wished there was some way she could avoid all the awkwardness that was bound to plague her around Blake for the foreseeable future, but it seemed inescapable.

Suddenly, a voice from behind said, "There you are!"

Weiss turned and saw Yang standing there. She sighed internally. Of course Yang would be the one to find her up here. She asked, "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you," Yang said.

"Me? Shouldn't you be more worried about Blake right now?" Weiss asked.

"Naw. She's fine," Yang said. "Besides, Ruby's with her."

Yang walked over next to Weiss and sat down on the ledge of the roof. Weiss expected Yang to say more, but Yang just sat there, quietly looking up into the sky.

Weiss looked Yang over. She was still surprised how much Yang's disappointment from earlier had hurt. As a Schnee, Weiss had been subject to much more precise and vicious verbal attacks her whole life. She'd grown a thick skin to defend herself from such barbs as a matter of course. But Yang had cut through it like it wasn't even there, and Weiss had no idea how or why.

When it came down to it, Yang was almost as confusing to Weiss as Blake was. Weiss's relationship with Yang had veered back and forth between hostile and friendly all semester, but ultimately, Yang had proven herself to be a steadfast teammate, even if she had a penchant for being infuriating.

Unfortunately, right now Yang was once again demonstrating her ability to get under Weiss's skin, this time with her complete and utter silence. Weiss knew that Yang was doing it on purpose. Beside the fact that Yang was not a quiet person by nature, the slight hint of a smirk on Yang's face was a dead giveaway. Just because Weiss knew what Yang was doing, however, didn't make it any less effective.

"Well?" Weiss finally demanded.

"Well what?" Yang asked innocently.

Weiss rolled her eyes. "You very well know what, Xiao Long."

"Oh, so I'm back to being Xiao Long again?"

"You are when you're being deliberately obtuse."

Yang laughed. "Maybe I'm just trying to sneakily get you to talk to me about whatever's bothering you."

"You're about as sneaky as a goliath, you oaf," Weiss said.

"Maybe," Yang said. "But I am going to get you to talk to me about what's wrong."

"Nothing is wrong!" Weiss insisted.

"Please," Yang said. "I know a brooding look when I see one. Blake's my partner after all."

Weiss crossed her arms. "Even if something was wrong, I'm perfectly capable of handling a little brooding by myself."

Yang shrugged her shoulders. "If you say so. But I'd bet you'd feel a whole lot better if you talked to someone about it."

Weiss did not look pleased. Yang was making a habit of being right today, and Weiss didn't care for it. However, that didn't change the fact that she really could use someone to talk to. The problem was that she didn't know if Yang was that person. Weiss liked Yang, despite the fact that they had almost nothing in common. She just wasn't sure if Yang liked her.

"Yang?" Weiss asked. "Did you really think I was coasting on my father's money here at Beacon?"

"No one who loves homework as much as you do is coasting on anything," Yang said. "I was just trying to make a point."

"I see," Weiss said.

"And that jacket looks great on you, by the way," Yang said. "I love your fashion sense."

"Uh…thanks," Weiss said. She felt herself blushing at the compliment.

Weiss paused, trying to figure out what to say next. Eventually, she decided that the direct approach would be best. This was Yang after all. Weiss asked, "We're friends, aren't we Yang?"

"Well yeah, of course," Yang said. "Why are you even asking?"

"We didn't exactly get along when we first met," Weiss said.

"That's because you were being mean to Ruby."

"That's…that's true," Weiss said. "And you weren't exactly pleased with me today while we were looking for Blake."

"Of course I wasn't," Yang said. "But just because I was mad at you doesn't mean we're not friends."

"I see," Weiss said. Her eyes drifted down to the space next to where Yang was sitting. It was hardly proper etiquette to sit with one's legs dangling off a ledge, and the roof was no doubt filthy, but there was something about the idea that was inviting.

Weiss finally relented to her irrational desire and took a seat next to Yang. A small grin crossed Yang's face. She scooted closer to Weiss until they bumped shoulders. Weiss jumped slightly at the unexpected contact, but she resisted the urge to move away. There was nothing so scandalous about friends touching shoulders, and the physical contact was soothing in a way that Weiss hadn't expected.

Yang asked, "So are you going to tell me what's got you so down?"

Weiss lowered her head. "It's Blake," she said.

"What about Blake?" Yang asked.

"She was a member of the White Fang," Weiss said.

"Yeah, I know. We've been through that," Yang said. "I thought you said you didn't care."

"I don't," Weiss said. "But maybe I should. I wasn't speaking metaphorically when I told you that the White Fang are at war with my family."

"So what," Yang said. "Blake's not White Fang. And she's your friend."

"Is she though?" Weiss asked.

"Yeah. She is," Yang said.

"How can you be so sure?" Weiss asked. "I really meant all those things I said to her about the faunus yesterday."

"Do you still mean them?" Yang asked.

Weiss wasn't sure how to answer that question. A few hours ago she would've said yes, but now things weren't so clear. Certainly, none of what she'd said applied to someone like Blake, but what made Blake so different from other faunus? Weiss had a terrible feeling that the only reason she considered Blake an exception was because she'd actually gotten to know her.

"Yang? Do you think I'm a good person?" Weiss asked.

"Yup," Yang said.

"But…how do you know?"

"Easy. Because you asked."

Yang logic sounded so inane, but Weiss couldn't bring herself to argue against it. The world seemed like such a straightforward place in Yang's eyes. Weiss didn't really believe that things were as simple as Yang made them out to be, but it was nice to pretend.

"I've been told things my whole life," Weiss said. "About the faunus. About the White Fang. About people in general. My father was very clear to me about how the world works. Even if I never liked what he said, I never had cause to doubt it."

"What about now?" Yang asked.

"Now I'm not so sure," Weiss said.

"Well the summer break is coming up," Yang said. "Maybe you should talk to your dad about it."

"I doubt that would help."

"You never know until you try."

Weiss looked around the campus. The lights in the windows of the buildings around her were slowly flicking off one-by-one. It was well past the time that she liked to be in bed by. She decided that she shouldn't delay her return to Team RWBY's dorm room much longer.

"Yang?" Weiss asked. "Do you think Blake and Ruby will forgive me for all those things I said?"

"I wouldn't worry about it. Blake's not going to hold a grudge," Yang said. "And you're already bonded to Ruby for life."

"I am?" Weiss asked.

Yang chuckled. "Yup. Ruby's never going to let you get away now. That means you're stuck with me too."

Weiss thought about that for a moment, and then said, "I suppose that's not so bad."

The twinkle in Yang's eyes instantly made Weiss regret her words. Yang said, "Awww. Looks like we've finally melted the Ice Queen's heart."

"I take it back," Weiss said sarcastically.

"Just wait until I tell Ruby that we're all going to be BFFs!"

"You'll do nothing of the sort!"

"Admit it. You love having us as friends." Yang said. She snagged her arm around Weiss's shoulders.

Weiss bristled at Yang's touch, and a wave of panic shot through her. She immediately shrugged off Yang's arm and shot to her feet.

Yang looked confused. "Uh…Weiss? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" Weiss said a little too quickly.

Weiss's panic rapidly gave way to embarrassment. She could see the questions in Yang's eyes, but she wasn't prepared to answer them. There had already been quite enough soul-searching for one night.

Weiss calmly said, "I'm fine. It's late. We should go back to our room."

Yang still looked confused, but she stood and said, "Alright."

Weiss took a few steps away. Then she turned around and said, "You were right, Yang. I do feel better. Thank you for coming to find me."

Yang gave Weiss a big smile. "Anytime. That's what friends are for."

* * *

 _Author's Note:_ _Ugh. Writing Weiss before her early character development is hard. Not difficult mind you, just hard._

 _In case it isn't already apparent, this story is going to be a slow burn. There's no instant gratification to be found here. I'm definitely going somewhere with this. It's just going to take a while to get there._

 _And now something for the astronomy nerds out there. Yes I know that for an earth-moon like orbital system it would be extremely unusual to have a moon that's not tidally locked to its parent planet, but visual evidence from the show suggests that this is the case with Remnant's moon. How? Why? I don't know. Maybe a wizard did it._

 _As always, I welcome constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave a review. And if you like what you've read, taking the time to favorite and/or follow really helps me out. You can also find me on tumblr (electronicyarn) if you want to send me a message or be notified of updates._


	2. Lost in a Familiar Land

**Chapter 2: Lost in a Familiar Land**

When Weiss had first announced her intention to attend Beacon Academy to the Schnee household, it had been like a spark hitting dry kindling. Between Father's stringent objections and Mother's melodrama, it had been a miracle that she'd actually been allowed to enroll at the school. It was for that reason that Weiss had been prepared for the worst when she'd returned home for the end of semester break.

Counter to all of Weiss's expectations, however, her arrival at the Schnee mansion had been so low-key that it had practically been a nonevent. Mother had greeted her briefly before returning to her beloved garden and her drink. Father and Whitley had been nowhere to be seen.

Weiss supposed that she should be grateful that the drama she'd been expecting hadn't materialized, but she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. As domineering as Father could be and as neglectful as Mother was, Weiss had never stopped believing that deep down her parents cared for her. Such apathy at her return was distressing.

Weiss's first stop now that she was back home was to her bedroom to direct the staff in unpacking her luggage. Her room was exactly how she'd left it, but after a semester of living in a dorm, it felt far bigger than she remembered. It wasn't just because the room actually was several times larger than her dorm room, but the fact that her three teammates were distinctly absent. Weiss would've thought that finally having some peace and quiet again would've been refreshing, but all it did was make her feel lonely.

After dismissing the staff and taking some time to settle in, Weiss found herself with a distinct lack of things to do. Without any classes, homework, or pending exams, she had quite the surplus of time. She eventually decided to go on a walking tour of the mansion to alleviate her boredom.

As Weiss wandered the mansion's hallways, she couldn't help but feel odd and out of place. There was so much space in the mansion, with its endless corridors and arched ceilings, but it was empty and quiet. It seemed Weiss had grown accustomed to the throngs of student that populated Beacon's campus without even realizing it.

Weiss paused in front of a window and looked out. It was a beautiful day outside. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, and the northern latitudes of Atlas produced wonderfully temperate summers. Weiss could see the trees gently swaying in the wind. However, the comforting sunlight and soft breezes were powerless to enter the man-made sanctum of the Schnee mansion. The world on Weiss's side of the glass was cold and still.

Weiss idly wondered what her teammates were doing right now. Blake had mentioned that she was going to stay with a friend, and Yang and Ruby were no doubt back home on Patch Island with their father. Weiss wondered if they suspected that she was jealous of them. She doubted it, just like she doubted they realized how much she'd been thinking about them since the semester had ended.

Yang in particular had occupied Weiss's thoughts a great deal. It had taken Weiss a while to fully appreciate what had happened on that rooftop the night they'd found Blake. Yang, despite the argument they'd had earlier, had been concerned enough about her to take the time to seek her out and offer her comfort. It seemed like such a simple gesture, but no one had ever done anything like that for Weiss before, especially not without any thought of reward.

Weiss had acquired many colleagues, cohorts, lackeys, sycophants, and even would-be suitors in her scant eighteen years of navigating the circles of high society. But never before Ruby, Blake, and Yang had she had any actual friends. She hadn't even really known what friends were. Maybe that's why the revelation about Blake's past had felt like such a bitter betrayal to her.

Weiss knew what Father would say if he could've heard her thoughts at the moment. "A Schnee does not have friends. Only people seeking to leech off our success." He'd told her as much many times. Weiss used to believe him, but now she wasn't so sure. She wasn't sure about a great number of things these days, particularly the nature of the faunus. As tempting as it was to follow Yang's suggestion and discuss it with Father, Weiss already knew exactly how that conversation would go.

Weiss turned away from the window and started walking back toward her room. Reminiscing about her friends wasn't going to make the time pass any faster. Perhaps she could get a head start on next semester's reading.

Up ahead, Weiss saw Klein, the mansion's butler, walk around the corner. Klein's face lit up and his eyes turned a brilliant shade of blue when he spotted Weiss. "Ah! Miss Schnee!" he said as he approached. "It's so very good to see you! I'm terribly sorry that I wasn't able to greet you when you arrived. I was detained you see."

"It's quite alright," Weiss said. "It's nice that someone is pleased to see me. Father hasn't so much as said hello."

"Ah. Speaking of your father. He's instructed me to summon you to his office," Klein said.

"Did he say what he wanted?" Weiss asked.

"Not precisely. But I was given the impression it was a matter of great importance," Klein said. "Perhaps he merely wishes to say hello to his daughter."

Weiss gave Klein a small smile. She'd always appreciated his optimism, even if she didn't share it. "Thank you, Klein," she said. "I'd better go see what he wants."

"Of course, Ma'am." Klein bowed. "And let me say, welcome home!"

Weiss took a rather circuitous route to Father's office. Nothing good ever came from speaking with him in there. Weiss would have rather face down a pack of beowolves alone if she'd had a choice.

Inevitably, Weiss's feet carried her to her father's office. She paused just outside the door, trying to get her nerves under control. When she'd felt that she'd calmed herself down sufficiently, she opened the door and stepped inside.

Those privileged few who were lucky enough to receive a private audience with the great Jacques Schnee in his personal office were always surprised by how small it was, relatively speaking. His office at the Schnee Dust Company's world headquarters was far grander in size and scope, but it was a sterile space, lacking any personal touches. This office was different. It was here that Jacques presented himself as the man he wished to be seen as.

Awards for Jacques's business achievements, trophies from hunts in exotic lands, and framed news articles singing his praises littered the shelves and walls of the office. Each item was carefully curated to proclaim his greatness. There was nowhere a visitor could turn without being reminded of the extraordinary qualities of Jacques Schnee.

At the moment, Jacques himself was completely absorbed by the paperwork in front of him. Weiss knew better from experience than to interrupt him. She simply walked up to his desk and waited for him to be ready for her.

Jacques stayed silent for a few minutes more as his eyes darted back and forth across the page he was reading. Then without looking up, he said, "I understand you've gotten caught up in some trouble at that school of yours."

Weiss knew there were any number of things that Father could be referring too, but she decided it was best not to tip her hand. She said, "I'm not sure what you're talking about, Father. My academic record is exemplary."

"I'm not speaking about your academics," Jacques said. "I'm speaking about the White Fang."

Weiss felt a brief pang of alarm. Her first thought was about Blake and her past. Surely Father hadn't found out about that. Weiss calmly said, "There was some White Fang activity in Vale, but that's hardly surprising. We already know they operate in all four kingdoms."

"There's been far more than 'some activity'. Dust robberies have skyrocketed," Jacques said. He looked up at Weiss for the first time. "And according to this police report, you were involved in a confrontation with White Fang operatives."

Weiss was shocked. Father's reach was vast, but for him to have acquired a report from the Vale Police Department so quickly was still impressive. Weiss quickly realized that Father must have had people monitoring the CCT network for her name to pop up in certain databases. He'd done the exact same thing to Winter when she'd enrolled at Atlas Academy. It was disappointing but hardly surprising.

Weiss said, "I witnessed a confrontation. That's all."

"What were you able to learn?" Jacques asked.

"Nothing that's not in the report, I'm sure," Weiss said. "The White Fang were there to steal a large shipment of Dust."

Jacques's eyes narrowed. "Is that really it?"

"Yes, Father," Weiss said.

Jacques's lips twisted into a small frown, and Weiss's stomach involuntarily tied itself into a knot. Father outwardly displaying his displeasure was a bad sign. Jacques stood and walk out from around his desk. He stopped in front of a photo hanging on the wall. It was of himself and Weiss's grandfather. Weiss knew the photo well. It had been taken the day Grandfather had handed control of the Schnee Dust Company over to Father.

Staring at the photo, Jacques said, "Softer methods of dealing with the White Fang have proved ineffective. More direct confrontation will be necessary soon. When you told me you were going to a school for huntsmen, in Vale nonetheless, I tolerated it because I thought such training might be of use to the Company. But if you were unable to investigate or intervene in a White Fang operation unfolding before you, I'm left to wonder what that school has been teaching you."

The full weight of Father's words was not lost on Weiss. He was thinking about pulling her out of Beacon. The very thought horrified Weiss. She knew that she needed to tread very carefully. Her plans for her future were on the line.

Weiss said, "Beacon is training me to fight the grimm. They're a far greater threat to humanity than the White Fang."

"That's debatable," Jacques said. "And that's what the military is for."

"I'm sure Headmaster Ozpin would disagree," Weiss said.

"Then he's a fool," Jacques said.

"Maybe so, but the Company's publicity department was quick to capitalize on my enrollment at Beacon," Weiss said. "It would look bad in the eyes of the public for me to withdraw, especially now that I'm a star pupil."

"Hmph, the public. It never fails to disgust me how quickly they forget everything the Family and the Company has given them," Jacques said. "Very well. But I will expect better from you."

"Yes, Father," Weiss said. She let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding in.

After such a close call, Weiss was eager to escape the office. Father hadn't precisely dismissed her yet, but their conversation seemed to have reached its end. "If you'll excuse me," Weiss said as she turned to leave.

Jacques suddenly reached out and roughly grabbed Weiss's arm. Weiss froze and the blood in her veins turned to ice. For one horrible moment, she was six years old again, cowering on the floor before Father after he'd slapped her across the face. Touch was an instrument of discipline for Father, and he wielded it with great effectiveness.

"One last thing," Jacques said.

"Yes, Father?" Weiss asked, trying to stay calm.

"You are the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company. As you have correctly pointed out, how you are seen reflects on the Company, for good or for ill. As such, I expect you to be presentable in public at all times," Jacques said. His steely gaze turned to Weiss and his eyes locked on her hair.

Father had never approved of Weiss wearing her hair in a side tale, and Weiss knew it. That was precisely the reason she did it.

Jacques's hand released Weiss's arm, but his touch lingered. Weiss reached up, trying to keep her hands steady, and pulled out her tiara. Her hair fell loose. She gathered in up into a proper ponytail and re-secured it with her tiara.

Jacques smiled, although it didn't reach his eyes. "That's better. You are dismissed."

"Thank you, Father," Weiss said. She gave a slight bow.

Weiss held her head as high as she could and walked out of the office. When she'd shut the door behind her, however, she slumped against the wall. Her arm was still tingling where Father had grabbed her. She almost wondered if he'd bruised her, although the idea was ridiculous. Her aura was more than sufficient to protect her against something like that. If only it could protect her emotionally as well.

It seemed that Weiss's absence had done nothing to soften Father's attitude toward her. She'd forgotten how intense he could be when he wanted something from her, and today what he'd wanted was a solution to the White Fang problem. If Weiss had interpreted what he'd said correctly, he was on the brink of forming a private army to resolve the issue once and for all. It could only mean that White Fang attacks had intensified over all of Remnant, not just in Vale.

Weiss still didn't understand what the Company had done to warrant such reprisals by the White Fang. Not too long ago, she would have assumed that the White Fang were simply evil, little better than the grimm themselves. But if someone like Blake had been among their number, surely that wasn't the case. Maybe Yang had been right, after a fashion at least. Maybe it was time to find out what exactly the Company had done to the faunus.

Weiss stood up straight again. There was a console in the library that she could use to find out what she wanted to know. Her mind made up, she started heading for the library. It was time to find out the truth.

* * *

Hours later Weiss finally resigned herself to the fact that the truth was not so easy to come by. She'd absolutely buried herself in the private records of the Schnee Dust Company. Even now, more of them were scrolling past her eyes on the console in front of her. Literally any piece of information that she could ask for was at her fingertips, but there were few answers to be found. There was no single event that Weiss could point to as justification for the White Fang's crimes, only tantalizing hints. It seemed that the world was not as cut and dry as Yang supposed after all.

Weiss leaned back in her chair and rubbed her tired eyes. The one thing the Company's records had made abundantly clear was that it employed a great number of faunus, more in fact than was legally required. Weiss had come across many an archived puff piece from the media at large exalting the Company as a great employer of disadvantaged minorities.

Weiss had noted, however, that nowhere did it say just how those minorities were employed. She'd had to run the numbers herself and had discovered that the overwhelming majority of faunus working for the Company performed manual labor. The pay rates for those positions weren't great, but they were above the legal minimums.

Weiss had to admit that her family's wealth made her concept of what a Lien was worth a bit hazy. She'd made several purchases last semester she'd considered routine that had made her teammates go bugged eyed when they'd found out the cost. Furthermore, Weiss acknowledged that manual labor was a completely alien concept to her, but the Schnee Dust Company was first and foremost a mining company. There was no getting around the fact that manual labor would be involved.

The long and short of it was that the Company wasn't doing anything wrong, at least not on paper. But Weiss couldn't help but feel there was a sinister pattern lurking in the files she'd read. Everything was worded so clinically and impersonally. Countless studies had been done and hundreds of policies had been implemented all in the name of extracting the most labor from the Company's workforce at the lowest cost. It all made good business sense of course, but it completely disregarded the human, and faunus, element.

"Oh my," a smarmy voice suddenly said from behind Weiss. "What are you doing alone in the library, dear Sister?"

Weiss jumped in alarm. She turned in her chair and saw Whitley standing there. His eyes were as cold as ever, and it seemed he had finally perfected his vaguely condescending smile.

"What do you want, Whitley?" Weiss asked. She was frustrated with herself for not noticing her brother sneaking up on her. Then again, he'd always had a talent for skulking around unnoticed.

Whitley said, "Why I just wanted to welcome my sister home. I'm rather disappointed you didn't come find me. After all, it's been month's since we've spoken."

"I assumed you weren't interested in talking," Weiss said. "You weren't there to greet me when I arrived home."

"Oh, my apologies," Whitley said. "But I've been quite busy as of late. Father has finally taken an interest in me."

Weiss rolled her eyes. Whitley's forgotten-youngest-child stick had gotten old years ago. Weiss said, "Father has always taken an interest in you."

"Not like this," Whitley said. "Since you've betrayed him for Beacon, much like Winter did for Atlas Academy, it seems that I've become the favored son. But then again, I am the only son."

"I didn't betray Father!" Weiss said. "Neither did Winter."

"That's not how Father sees it," Whitley said. "You'd best be careful, Sister. The Schnee Family may have a new heir apparent soon."

"Don't be so droll," Weiss said.

"It's just a friendly warning. What you do with it is none of my concern," Whitley said. His eyes slyly glided over to the console in front of Weiss. He clucked his tongue and said, "My, my. This is a surprise. You know Father has forbidden us from delving into the Company's records without his guidance. What has happened to my perfect sister?"

Weiss hit the button to close the files she'd been looking at. Whitley was right that Father wouldn't be pleased if he found out about this. She sighed wearily and asked, "What do you want?"

"Are you attempting to buy my silence?" Whitley asked with mock surprise. "That strange, foreign school really has corrupted you."

"Shut up," Weiss said.

"There's my old sister," Whitley said. "As it happens, I don't want anything from you. What's one secret among siblings."

"How generous of you," Weiss said sarcastically.

"But I would be careful, dear Sister, of the secrets you keep. The right secret in the wrong ear has the power to topple kingdoms and end lives," Whitley said. He turned and started walking away. As he left, he said over his shoulder, "Do make sure you join us for dinner. I hear the chef is preparing your favorite."

Weiss watched Whitley closely until he had left the library. When he had gone, she closed her eyes and hung her head. Not one thing had changed about the Schnee mansion or its residents since she'd left, but everything was different. Every corner of the house was lonely. Every conversation was a minefield to tiptoe through. The very air itself was smothering. Weiss dearly wanted to be back at Beacon where she could feel free again. She wanted to have friends to talk to that she didn't need to watch her every word with. Most of all, she wanted Yang to somehow materialize out of nowhere at this very moment and make her feel better.

It was another two weeks until Beacon's classes resumed, and Weiss was afraid that they were going to be the longest two weeks of her life.

* * *

 _Author's Note:_ _It's time for a little confession. I had considered not posting this story. The reason was that as Volume 4 has gone on, Weiss's plot line has turned out to be very, very similar to stuff I was planning on writing in this story. I came up with my ideas before I saw them in the show, but I still didn't want to just rehash what actual RWBY was doing._

 _For point of reference, as of this posting Volume 4 is up to Chapter 9: Two Steps Forward and One Step Back. But when I wrote the first draft of this chapter, all we knew about Weiss in Volume 4 was that she was going to sing a benefit concert._

 _I decided to go ahead and keep working on this story for two reason. Firstly, there's more to it than just Weiss dealing with her family. Secondly, I'll be able to explore that conflict in more depth than the actual show. So yes, you will see a lot of similar themes in Volume 4 and this story, but with any luck, you'll also see a whole lot more._

 _And speaking of Volume 4, I'm live blogging it over on tumblr (electronicyarn). Come watch me lament about how Rooster Teeth is stealing my ideas!_

 _As always, I welcome constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave a review. And if you like what you've read, taking the time to favorite and/or follow really helps me out. You can also find me on tumblr (electronicyarn) if you want to send me a message or be notified of updates._


	3. The Best Day Ever

_Author's Note:_ _Just to preemptively clear up any confusion, I would like to remind everyone that Sun didn't appear in Chapter 1 where Weiss and Blake reconciled like he did in canon. As I said before, events in this story don't quite match up with the show perfectly._

* * *

 **Chapter 3: The Best Day Ever**

The moment Weiss stepped off the airship and set foot on Beacon's campus, she felt like she could breathe again. The past two weeks she'd spent in Atlas had been just as long and grueling as she'd feared. It was strange, but Beacon almost felt more like home now than home did.

Weiss was not the only student to arrive back on campus today. The airdocks were positively bustling with activity. Weiss remembered the crowds feeling stifling when she'd arrived on campus at the start of the last semester. This time, however, they were a welcome sight. They made the campus feel so alive, and the vivacious atmosphere was infectious.

Out of the crowds, a short, impeccably dressed man, wheeling a luggage cart with four large suitcases on it approached Weiss. The man said, "I have your effects here, Miss Weiss. Shall we take them to your domicile?"

"Yes, Georges. It's this way," Weiss said. She was not pleased to have a tagalong from Atlas with her, but she hadn't been given a choice in the matter.

Georges was Jacques's most faithful assistant. He'd been in Jacques's employ since even before Jacques had taken the Schnee name as his own. Weiss had never cared for Georges, and she was especially distrustful of him now. He had undoubtedly been sent by Father to spy on her. At least he'd be gone by the end of the day. At least, Weiss hoped he would.

Not even Georges's intruding presence could dampen Weiss's spirits however. She'd been longing to return to Beacon, and now that she was finally back, she was almost giddy with excitement. She had to make an effort to keep a spring out of her step as she walked. She may have been happy, but she still had her sense of propriety. It wouldn't do for people to see the Schnee heiress skipping merrily along.

"Weiss! Weiiiss!" a cheerful voice shouted across the crowded school grounds.

Weiss looked in the direction of the voice and saw a smiling Yang bounding toward her.

"Yang!" Weiss said. She was embarrassed at how excited she sounded. So much for propriety.

Yang ran up to Weiss with her arms outstretched. Weiss was suddenly worried that Yang was about to hug her. She didn't much want to be hugged in the first place, and with Georges there, such an inappropriate display would be an absolute disaster. Fortunately, Yang either saw the panic on Weiss's face or remembered what had happened up on the rooftop a few weeks ago and managed to restrain herself.

"Good to see you, Weiss!" Yang said. "How was the break?"

"It was…" Weiss's eyes flicked over to Georges. "…delightful."

"Great!" Yang said. She waited for Weiss to elaborate. When Weiss remained silent, however, Yang asked, "Did you change your hairstyle?"

Weiss self-consciously ran a finger through her ponytail. "This is more appropriate. Don't you think?"

"I guess," Yang said. "Looks good on you."

"Thank you," Weiss said. To her dismay, she felt herself blushing at the compliment. She really hoped Georges hadn't noticed.

An awkward silence settled over the group. It was Georges who broke it when he said, "If you'll excuse us, Miss. Madam Schnee is headed to her domicile. She has had a very long flight from Atlas and would like to rest."

Weiss's lips twisted into a frown at Georges's presumption. She was about to voice her displeasure when she saw a sly grin on Yang's face.

"No problem!" Yang said. "We're both in the same room after all."

Yang reached down and scooped up Weiss's suitcases, two in each arm, and effortlessly hefted them onto her shoulders.

Weiss couldn't help but get some perverse satisfaction from the perturbed expression that crossed Georges's face. Yang was stronger than she looked, and she looked plenty strong.

Yang said, "Don't worry, Jeeves, I got this."

"I—" Georges started.

"It's quite alright," Weiss interrupted him. "You must be eager to return to Atlas, and as you can see, I'm in capable hands."

Georges couldn't have been pleased, but he didn't let his mask of politeness slip. He bowed and said, "Of course, Miss Weiss. I'll give your regards to your father."

"Thank you, Georges. Come along, Yang," Weiss said and started walking in the direction of the dorms.

"Of course…Miss Weiss," Yang said, doing a passable job of mimicking Georges's cadence.

Weiss waited until she was sure Georges was out of sight, then just to be sure, she glanced back over her shoulder. When she saw that the coast was clear, she let out a sigh of relief and said, "Thank you for getting rid of him."

"No problem," Yang said. "Who was that guy anyway?"

"My father's lapdog," Weiss said. She eyed the heavy luggage resting on Yang's shoulders. "Do you want me to carry one of those?"

"Naw. I got it," Yang said.

Now that Weiss was no longer under Georges's watchful eye, she reached up and pulled her tiara out. She quickly gathered her hair up into a side tail and slid the tiara back in place.

"Get sick of your new style already?" Yang asked.

"It was never 'my style' in the first place," Weiss said. "It was Father's…request."

"Seriously?" Yang asked.

"Yes," Weiss said.

"Well your hair looks good like that too," Yang said. "But I'd bet it'd look good no matter what you did with it."

"Thank you," Weiss said. She wasn't sure where all this flattery was coming from, but it was rather refreshing when compared to all the criticism she'd endured during the break.

"I'm guessing your trip home wasn't really delightful," Yang said.

"No. It was dreadful," Weiss said.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Yang asked.

Weiss smiled. "No. But thank you for asking. I'd just as soon forget the whole affair."

"Well you're in luck then," Yang said. "Ruby's got just the thing in mind."

"Ruby does? Should I be concerned?" Weiss asked.

"Maybe!" Yang said with a laugh. "All I know is she called it her plan for the best day ever."

* * *

Weiss had to admit that she was impressed. She didn't think that Ruby was the type to make detailed plans, but she'd clearly put a lot of thought and effort into Team RWBY's first day back together. Weiss was mildly miffed that Ruby had stolen her Vytal Festival planning binder to do it, but after her recent ordeal in Atlas, it didn't really seem like that big of a deal.

When Weiss had heard Ruby proclaim that the team was going to have "the most fun anyone has ever had ever" she wasn't sure what to expect. If she'd been put in charge of planning today, she might have included things like going to a spa or attending the opera. She would never have thought that eating lunch together or playing a board game could be so enjoyable. Perhaps the activities themselves didn't matter so much as who they were done with.

Team RWBY was presently exploring the heart of Vale's sprawling shopping district. Ruby was walking just ahead of the group with her nose buried in the binder she'd co-opted from Weiss. Weiss was walking in the middle of the group alongside Blake. Yang, who was taking up the rear, had somehow managed to maneuver Weiss into that position. Weiss still wasn't completely comfortable around Blake. She was terrified that she'd do or say something offensive. She just didn't quite know how to be friends with a faunus, but she was trying.

Ruby slammed her binder shut and announced, "Okay team! We have two hours to spend here! Then we're going to head down to the docks!"

"The docks?" Blake asked, sounding amused. "What are we going to do down there?"

"When Yang and I were little kids, we used to love going to the docks on Patch," Ruby explained. "We'd just sit there watching the ships come in and make up stories about where they'd come from."

Blake chuckled. "Sounds…lovely."

Yang suddenly popped up in between Blake and Weiss. "And maybe we can get dinner at one of those food stands that sells fresh fish, eh?"

Blake's mouth twitched into a smile. She subconsciously licked her lips. "That's not a bad idea," she said, trying to sound nonchalant.

Weiss tried very hard not to laugh and ended up grimacing instead. Surely it wasn't appropriate to laugh at a faunus that displayed a trait in common with their animal heritage, right?

Yang sighed and said, "Okay. Time to fix this."

Yang put a hand on Blake's and Weiss's shoulders. Weiss flinched, but she forced herself to remain calm. She didn't want to make a scene in front of everyone.

"Weiss," Yang said like she was talking to a misbehaving child. "Please apologize to Blake for what you said to her during your little argument."

"But…" Weiss said.

Yang shot Weiss a look. Weiss got the message.

Weiss looked at Blake and said, "I'm sorry. I was…wrong. About everything."

"Not everything," Blake said. "But thank you."

"And Blake," Yang said. "Please tell Weiss how to be your friend again."

"Just be my friend," Blake said. "Don't try to overthink things. And if you have a question, just ask."

"I will," Weiss said. "Thank you."

"There," Yang said, releasing her hold on her teammates' shoulders. "Was that so hard?"

Ruby was looking at the group with a concerned expression on her face. She asked, "Is everything okay now?"

"Yup!" Yang said, giving a thumbs-up. "We're all friends again."

"Alright!" Ruby said. "Let's keep going then!"

Weiss glanced at her shoulder. She'd been distracted enough by Yang's scolding to momentarily forget her discomfort with Yang's hand resting there. She could still feel Yang's touch lingering, although in a completely different manner than Father's often did. It made her skin tingle in a way that was very strange but not altogether unpleasant.

Weiss shook her head clear. Now was the time to enjoy herself with her friends, not contemplate Yang's chronic disregard for personal space. She could worry about that later.

Yang asked, "So what else do you have in that big binder of yours, Sis?"

"All kinds of things!" Ruby said. "We're going to have so much fun."

Weiss said, "Well I think no matter what we do, it's great that we're doing it as a team. We've got a whole semester ahead of us, not to mention the Vytal Festival. Let's not forget that the tryouts to select which teams will represent Beacon in the tournament will be held soon. If we all come together there's no reason why Team RWBY couldn't be chosen. Just think about that! Wouldn't it be delightful?"

Weiss paused her impromptu speech to give her teammates an opportunity to agree, but no one said anything. Confused, Weiss glanced around and saw that Ruby and Blake had vanished, leaving her alone with Yang.

"Where did everyone go?" Weiss asked.

"Ruby got distracted by a weapons shop and Blake wandered off into a bookstore," Yang said.

"But…" Weiss said.

Yang chuckled. "Don't worry. Ruby will be back, and there's no way Blake's going to pass up a fish dinner. In the meantime, it's just you and me, Miss Weiss."

Weiss sighed at Yang aping Georges again, but she said, "I guess you're right. Lead the way."

Weiss and Yang spent the next half an hour strolling down the sidewalk and occasionally commenting on something they saw. Really, they weren't doing anything at all, but unbelievably, Weiss was still enjoying herself. She was more accustomed to formal social events, but this, whatever it was, was far preferable to any gala or soiree that she'd ever been to. Spending time with Yang was just so nice.

"Yang," Weiss said out of the blue. She wanted to express to Yang just how grateful she was. This whole day, from the moment she'd ran into Yang at the airdocks to now, was exactly what she'd needed after having to deal with her family again.

"Yeah?" Yang asked.

Weiss opened her mouth but then closed it again. It wasn't like her to be at a loss for words, but she found herself unable to express what she wanted to say.

Suddenly, a passerby's head swung toward Weiss and Yang. He stopped in his tracks and put up an arm to halt his walking companion.

Weiss eyed the man as he blatantly stared at her. She couldn't help but take note of his monkey tail. "Do you mind?" she asked him curtly.

"Hey, I know you two," the man said. "You're Blake's teammates, right?"

Yang said, "Yeah. That's us. Who are you?"

"Oh!" the man said. "I'm Sun! Sun Wukong! I remember seeing you two on the docks when I…arrived here. On a boat. That I had a ticket for."

"Oh yeah!" Yang said. "You threw a banana at a guy!"

"Yeah!" Sun said. "Wasn't it awesome?"

Weiss's nose crinkled. She remembered Sun now. He was the stowaway who had inadvertently started that fateful argument between her and Blake. Now that she had a bit more perspective, she was trying very hard not to make judgments about him because he was a faunus. Admittedly, she wasn't doing a very good job.

"Ladies," Sun's companion said suavely. "I'm Neptune. What might your names be?"

Weiss looked at Neptune. Her expert eye instantly recognized him as a child of privilege like herself. Although his manner of dress wasn't meant to show off his wealth like hers was, she recognized prohibitively expensive clothing when she saw it. Neptune's jacket alone doubtlessly cost more than Yang's entire wardrobe.

Yang answered Neptune's question first, "I'm Yang! Blake's partner."

"Weiss Schnee," Weiss said in turn. "A pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine, Snow Angel," Neptune said. He bowed slightly.

Weiss smiled at Neptune. After a semester of having to put up with the likes of Jaune Arc, it was so refreshing to meet a man who had at least some idea of how to speak to women.

Suddenly, Sun blurted out, "Oh! You're _that_ Weiss!"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Weiss asked, not liking Sun's tone.

"I found Blake after she ran away from school," Sun said. "She told me you were a real—oof!"

Neptune elbowed Sun in the gut and quickly said, "Uh…person! She said you were a real person! Not, you know, someone…made up by the Schnee Company."

Weiss shook her head. She decided it was okay not to like Sun after all. Him being a faunus had nothing to do with it. At least Neptune understood the concept of tact.

"So," Yang said, very obviously looking Sun and Neptune over. "Are you two going to be in Vale for long?"

Sun said, "We're here for the Vytal Festival."

Weiss said, "You're here rather early then."

Neptune said, "It's never too early to start planning out your strategy."

Weiss gave an approving nod. "I couldn't agree more."

Yang snickered.

"What?" Weiss asked.

"Nothing," Yang said.

"Well, we should get going," Sun said, looking at his nonexistent wristwatch. "We were supposed to meet Scarlet an hour ago."

"Ladies," Neptune said. "We'll be seeing you around."

"I'm sure you will," Weiss said.

Sun and Neptune quickly vanished into the crowd. When they had gone, Yang asked, "So when's the wedding?"

"Excuse me?" Weiss asked.

"You and Neptune really hit it off," Yang said.

"That hardly means I'm ready to marry him," Weiss said.

"All the more for me then," Yang said. "Those two were hot!"

Weiss rolled her eyes. "I suppose," she said.

"You suppose?" Yang asked incredulously. "Neptune was practically a walking cover for a fashion magazine, and Sun was…abs!"

"Neptune did have a well-coordinated outfit," Weiss said.

Yang looked at Weiss funny. Then a Cheshire grin spread across her face.

"What!?" Weiss asked. She suddenly felt very uncomfortable.

"Does Weiss Schnee play for the other team?" Yang asked.

"I don't know what that means," Weiss said.

"Yes you do," Yang said. "Even you aren't that sheltered."

"If you're implying that I'm a…homosexual…" Weiss said.

"You said it, not me," Yang said.

"Don't be so childish," Weiss said.

"I'm not hearing a no," Yang said in a singsong voice.

"Then let me say it clearly! I am not some sort of deviant!" Weiss said.

"Uh…" Yang said, suddenly looking less amused and more perplexed. "I never called you a deviant."

"You did precisely that!" Weiss said, thrusting an accusing finger at Yang.

"Wow," Yang said. "Your family really believes in good old fashioned traditional values. Don't they?"

"And what precisely is wrong with traditional values?" Weiss asked.

"Ask Blake or any other Faunus that question," Yang said.

"There's a difference between that and…that other thing," Weiss said.

"Not really," Yang said with a shrug.

"It's…" Weiss started, but she really didn't want to argue with Yang right now, especially about such an uncomfortable topic.

Yang said, "It's okay if you're gay, you know."

"Well I'm not!" Weiss insisted.

"Okay, okay," Yang said. "Look, I'm sorry. I was just teasing you."

Weiss looked long and hard at Yang. She doubted the sincerity of Yang's apology, but at least Yang had been willing to offer one.

Weiss finally said, "Apology accepted."

"So are we still friends?" Yang asked. "Ruby will be devastated if we aren't."

"We wouldn't want to disappoint Ruby," Weiss said. "So I suppose we're still friends."

"That's what's important," Yang said with a smile. "What do you say we go find Ruby and Blake?"

"That sounds like a good plan," Weiss said.

* * *

 _Author's Note:_ _Apparently Weiss hasn't seen the relationship tag for this story. There's a lot I could say about that, but I think it's best if I stay silent for now._

 _What is it about Sun that makes him get Weiss into arguments with other people? I guess everyone has a talent._

 _I'm still live blogging Volume 4 over on my tumblr (electronicyarn). The finale's closing in, but there's still time to see me make a fool of myself!_

 _As always, I welcome constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave a review. And if you like what you've read, taking the time to favorite and/or follow really helps me out. You can also find me on tumblr (electronicyarn) if you want to send me a message or be notified of updates._


	4. Denial

**Chapter 4: Denial**

As much as Weiss had come to appreciate Beacon, there were still some aspects of life at the school that she could do without. The food in the cafeteria could barely be called edible, and the closet space in the dorm rooms was completely inadequate. But by far what Weiss hated the most about the school was the communal showers.

The only thing that made the school's showering facilities remotely tolerable was that they at least had individual stalls to shower in. However, that fact did nothing to save Weiss from having to endure parading through the locker room in nothing but a towel. The indignity of it all was beyond humiliating.

Weiss was not ashamed of her body or her figure in the least, but that didn't mean she wanted to give anyone the opportunity to leer at her. She already endured quite enough of that with her clothes on, courtesy of the less refined members of the male student body. But that wasn't even the worst part. The worst part was having to hurry past the other girls in various states of undress. Seeing them always made Weiss feel incredibly uncomfortable. Averting her gaze did little to help. Even if she didn't look, she still knew they were there. Just the thought of having to run that gauntlet filled Weiss with an emotion she didn't quite have a name for. It wasn't disgust or embarrassment, but whatever it was, she'd just a soon avoid it.

After putting up with the communal showers for a week, Weiss had resolved to find a solution to the situation. Another week's worth of effort had gone into researching schedules and making observations, but Weiss's hard work had paid off. She'd managed to find a window of opportunity late in the day during which the showers were consistently deserted.

Weiss had showered precisely at that time ever since.

A typical day not long after the new semester had begun found Weiss in the shower at her usual time with her shower cap on. One of the unexpected side benefits of showering when no one else did was that there was no shortage of hot water, and Weiss always took full advantage. As much as she loved the simple pleasure of a warm shower, however, she never indulged for too long. There was less risk of someone else showing up that way.

Weiss quickly finished up her showering routine and shut off the water. A moment later, she emerged from the stall, wrapped in a towel with her tiny and discreet wash bag in hand.

The locker room was fairly sizable, given that it was expected to accommodate a significant portion of Beacon's student population at any given time. Weiss padded over to a locker in the middle row where she'd left her clothing and opened it up. She pulled her shower cap off and let her hair fall around her shoulders. Then she set the cap and her bag in the locker.

A quick glance at the clock on the wall told Weiss there was still plenty of time to keep to her planned study schedule for the evening. She wanted to finish her history paper for Professor Oobleck's class by tonight. It wasn't due for another three days, but she always gave herself ample time to make sure her essays were perfect.

Weiss pulled her boots out of her locker and set them down on the floor. She was just reaching for the rest of her clothing when, to her great dismay, she heard the door to the outside hallway open.

Weiss sighed. She'd expected that eventually someone would end up using the showers at the same time she did. In a school the size of Beacon, it was inevitable. Fortunately, she'd already planned for a situation like this. All she had to do was quickly get dressed and keep eye contact and conversation to an absolute minimum. If Weiss was really lucky, whoever had just come in would pick a locker on a different row than hers.

Unfortunately for Weiss, all of her contingency plans went straight out the window when Yang walked around the corner. Yang had a towel thrown over her shoulder and was carrying a basket that was overflowing with a dizzying array of hair care products. Her eyes lit up with surprise and delight when she saw she wasn't alone.

"Heya, Weiss!" Yang said.

"Hello, Yang," Weiss said exasperatedly. Her hand came up to hold the towel that was protecting her modesty in place, even though there was little danger of it slipping. She'd very explicitly taken her teammates' routines into account when she'd selected this time to shower. They were the last people she'd wanted to run into. It might have even worked if Yang kept to anything resembling a regular schedule.

"So this is your secret," Yang said as she set her basket down on a nearby bench. "I was starting to think you didn't shower at all."

"Of course I do!" Weiss said. "How else would I stay clean?"

Yang shrugged. "I don't know. I thought maybe you had a glyph that cleaned stuff or something."

"If only," Weiss said.

"So why do you shower now?" Yang asked. "Seems like an odd time."

"That's none of your business," Weiss said.

"Ah come on, Weiss," Yang said. "We're friends, right? You can trust me with your dark secret."

"There is no secret! I just like some privacy when I shower," Weiss said. "I might as well ask what you're doing here."

"Pyrrha managed to get some time in one of the practice rooms. We were sparring," Yang said. "I don't want to go to bed all sweaty. Girl really gave me a workout!"

Now that Yang mentioned it, Weiss noticed several faint bruises on Yang. They'd already mostly healed thanks to Yang's aura. They'd probably fade completely within the hour.

Yang draped her towel over the bench next to her basket and opened up one of the lockers. Then she reached down and started unlacing her boots.

Weiss turned back to her own locker. She had a real dilemma now. She didn't want to be standing there with just a towel on, but she didn't want to get dressed in front of Yang either as that would involve removing said towel. Maybe she could convince Yang to go use a locker in a different row.

Weiss turned back to Yang, and her eyebrows shot all the way up to her hairline. Yang had removed her gloves and jacket already and was reaching to pull off her crop top.

"What are you doing?!" Weiss screeched.

Yang paused, confused by Weiss's shouting. "What?" she asked.

"Have you no shame?!" Weiss asked.

Understanding dawned on Yang's face. "It's okay. We're all ladies here," she said and gave Weiss a wink.

Weiss wasn't about to stick around and find out what Yang was going to do next. She grabbed all of her clothing out of her locker, hugged it to her chest, and practically ran around the corner to the next row.

Yang's laughter chased at Weiss's heels. Weiss just knew it would be a week before she heard the end of this. Yang was merciless like that, and now that she knew Weiss's secret showering schedule, Weiss wouldn't put it past her to show up again just to be annoying.

Weiss sighed heavily. When Team RWBY's third-year began, they'd finally be assigned a dorm room with a private shower. It was such a lovely dream for Weiss, and it seemed so far away.

Weiss waited a minute to make sure Yang wasn't going to follow her, although deep down she knew that she really didn't need to. Even Yang wasn't that cruel. Weiss slipped her towel off and hastily got dressed. She quickly pulled her hair into a messy side tail. She'd take the time to do it up properly later. Right now she just wanted to get back to her dorm room. Her history paper was waiting for her, and it would be a good distraction to help her forget all about this little incident.

Weiss reached for her boots only to find that they weren't there. She realized that she'd left them behind in the other row of lockers. Weiss considered waiting, just to make extra sure Yang wasn't still over there undressing, but she figured that it wasn't necessary. Yang must have been in the shower by now.

Weiss ventured back around the corner to retrieve her boots. Yang, however, was not in the shower yet. Weiss jerked to a halt and narrowly avoided colliding with Yang.

Yang was clad in nothing more than a towel, and due to the inconvenient difference in their heights, Weiss found herself looking directly at Yang's cleavage. Weiss's cheeks flushed and her mouth hung open. She stared, transfixed by the supple skin just inches from her nose.

Several long seconds ticked by, and no one said anything. Weiss wanted to look away. She wanted to run. But she didn't seem to be able to do either.

"Weiss?" Yang finally asked with a wry tone. "You okay?"

Weiss tilted her head up to meet Yang's smiling eyes, and her whole face turned bright red. She knew some kind of response was expected of her, but she couldn't quite find the words.

"I'm going to go take a shower now," Yang said with a huge grin on her face. "I'll see you back at the dorm?"

"Right," Weiss finally managed to say.

Yang glided past Weiss, just close enough that Weiss could feel the ghost of Yang's arm brushing up against hers. Weiss's head turned to follow Yang, and her eyes locked onto the exaggerated swaying of Yang's hips. She didn't so much as blink until Yang had vanished into a shower stall.

Weiss walked over to her locker on autopilot. She mechanically put on her boots and grabbed her wash bag. Then she left the locker room and headed in the direction of her dorm, only dimly aware of her surroundings.

* * *

Had Blake or Ruby been paying more attention, they might have noticed Weiss's distracted behavior when she returned to Team RWBY's dorm. Fortunately, Blake was lying on her bed, lost in one of her books, and Ruby had cocooned herself up in her bunk and was trying to catch up on all the homework she'd been avoiding. It was a small mercy for Weiss. Had Blake or Ruby asked her what was wrong, she might have died on the spot from embarrassment.

Weiss was sitting at the small writing desk she often used for studying. A pen was in her hand, and a blank sheet of paper was lying in front of her. It had been a good fifteen minutes, but Weiss hadn't written one single word of her history paper. At the moment, she couldn't even recall what the subject was supposed to be. Her mind was completely occupied reliving her close encounter with Yang in mortifying detail. The unwanted images in her head made her stomach tingle like she was excited. Her skin felt warm, and her legs were restless. There was a tension building in her, and she had no idea how to relieve it. All she knew was this was all Yang's fault somehow.

Ever since this semester had begun, Weiss's emotional state seemed to revolve around Yang. When Yang was near, she was happy. When Yang was gone, she was lonely. And now this had happened. It was so frustrating and stupid! Who was Yang to hold such sway over her, Weiss Schnee? Yang was crude, tactless, unrefined, and utterly insufferable! She was the kind of person that Weiss would have dismissed on the spot before she'd come to Beacon.

Weiss took a deep breath and set her unused pen down. She needed to calm down and think logically. Lashing out mentally at Yang wasn't going to fix this problem, whatever it was. Weiss knew that she wasn't really mad at Yang; she was mad at herself. She'd been unsettled for the past few days, and it had all begun with Yang's comment about her "playing for the other team". Yang may have been joking when she'd said it, but it had still bothered Weiss. As the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, Weiss was a celebrity in the business world and a symbol to the public. With that status came a huge responsibility.

How the world perceived Weiss was far more important than whatever the truth might be. If she'd acted in some manner that gave Yang reason to think, even jokingly, that she was a deviant, other people might see her that way as well. Yang may have been accepting to a fault, but others, like Father, definitely were not.

Weiss had been considering talking to Yang about it. All evidence to the contrary, Yang was actually a good listener. And despite her often flippant behavior, she'd displayed surprising maturity in the past when things had gotten serious. Unfortunately, after so blatantly gawking at Yang, Weiss didn't dare broach the subject with her now. She was afraid, terrified really, of what Yang might say.

Weiss dearly hoped that she was making too much out of this whole situation. Yang might not have even found her gawking all that strange. People doubtlessly stared at Yang all the time, as she was admittedly a magnificent example of the human form.

Weiss's mind latched on to that thought and began to furiously rationalize her behavior. Yang was beautiful. It was such an obvious fact that it was okay to acknowledge it. Admiring Yang was no more unnatural than admiring a masterful painting or finely sculpted statue. It didn't have to be anything more than appreciating an aesthetic. Weiss was a connoisseur of fine art. She appreciated beauty. That had to be why she'd been compelled to look at Yang.

Weiss let out a silent sigh of relief. With her behavior satisfactorily explained, she felt much better about herself. She hadn't even needed Yang's help this time. It was good to see that she wasn't totally depended on Yang for her emotional well-being. She picked up her pen again. She'd wasted enough time on introspection for one evening, and she really needed to do her homework.

Unfortunately for Weiss, the very second her pen touched paper, Yang walked into the room. Weiss froze. The absolutely beaming smile on Yang's face signaled Weiss's impending doom.

Ruby's head poked out from the edge of her bed. She said, "You look happy, Sis. Did you have a good time in the shower?"

Weiss cringed. With an opening like that, who knew what kind of inappropriate thing Yang might say.

"Sure did!" Yang said. "It was very…enlightening."

Weiss had no idea what that meant, and judging by the perplexed expression on Ruby's face, neither did she. Yang didn't elaborate on her statement, however. She just set her basket of hair products down in the middle of the floor and climbed up into her bunk.

Ordinarily, Weiss would've made a comment about Yang leaving her stuff lying about, but she was grateful that Yang had kept her mouth shut for once. So she let the issue drop for now.

Weiss turned back to her paper yet again. She lifted her pen to write, but then a thought struck her. Why had Yang kept her mouth shut? Yang never kept her mouth shut.

Weiss glanced over her shoulder to investigate. All she saw was Yang relaxing on her bed with her scroll open. She must have been playing a game because she was tapping rapidly at the screen, and her tongue was poking out of her mouth in that cute little way it did when she was concentrating. Weiss would have giggled at how adorable Yang looked at the moment if such a thing wasn't so undignified. Maybe Yang really hadn't found her staring all that odd after all.

Suddenly, Weiss noticed Blake quietly observing her from behind her book. Blake's bow twitched when she saw that Weiss had caught her, but rather than jerk her eyes away and make it obvious, she ever so slyly let her gaze drift back down to the page she was on.

Weiss frowned. She couldn't be sure, but she almost thought that she could see the tiniest hint of a smile on Blake's lips. She really wanted to know what Blake was thinking, but she knew that confronting Blake about it would be futile.

Weiss directed her attention back to her still blank paper and forced herself to start writing. The past hour had been far too exciting for all the wrong reasons. A cut and dry history paper was a welcome relief. At least in the academic world Weiss still knew what was what.

* * *

 _Author's Note: Denial isn't just a river in a country that doesn't exist on Remnant._

 _I didn't intend Weiss's gripe about the closet space at Beacon to be such an apt and pun-tastic metaphor, or even a metaphor at all really. Call it a happy coincidence. I'm sure Yang would approve._

 _As always, I welcome constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave a review. And if you like what you've read, taking the time to favorite and/or follow really helps me out. You can also find me on tumblr (electronicyarn) if you want to send me a message or be notified of updates._


	5. Plans, Break-Ins, and Hidden Talents

**Chapter 5: Plans, Break-Ins, and Hidden Talents**

Although Weiss attended a significant number of her classes with Yang, Blake, and Ruby, their schedules weren't completely identical. There were a few classes Weiss had where none of her teammates were present, and one such class was her last class of the day: Dust Studies with Professor Pulvis.

Ordinarily, Weiss would have been in her Dust Studies class right now, but the professor had come down with a particularly nasty flu, and the class had been canceled for today. Not knowing exactly what to do with her sudden free time, Weiss had returned to Team RWBY's dorm room. She'd thought about doing some homework, but that would've thrown off her carefully arranged study schedule. She'd instead decided to take advantage of being without her teammates and straighten up the room.

Weiss knew that Father would've been appalled to see his daughter performing a task best left to a lowly maid, but Beacon didn't have any proper maids, and the custodial services were limited to the school's public rooms. Weiss had quickly learned that if she didn't keep the dorm clean, no one would. Left to their own devices, Ruby and Yang were content to live in a perpetual state of barely organized chaos, and Blake, while tidy, only ever concerned herself with her own bed, her own bookshelf, and her own section of the closet.

Weiss had found that she actually didn't mind cleaning the room now and then. There was something satisfying about bringing a semblance of order to the mess. She'd never tell any of her teammates that however. If they'd known they'd never, ever clean up after themselves ever again.

The first thing Weiss attacked was the clutter that had accumulated on the floor. Most of it was Yang's of course. Fortunately, Weiss had discovered an effective method for dealing with the stuff Yang was always leaving lying about. She simply tossed all of it onto Yang's bed. Where it went from there, Weiss neither knew nor cared. All that mattered was that Yang actually did put her things away once confronted with Weiss's passive-aggressive hint.

Weiss started singing softly to herself as she worked. She was surprised; it has been a long time since she'd sung, even in private. It was a shame considering how much she used to enjoy it, but like so many things, Father had ruined it for her.

Jacques had discovered Weiss's vocal talents early on. He'd been very supportive at first and had hired the finest teachers in all of Atlas to instruct his daughter. It had all been great fun for Weiss, but then Jacques had revealed his true intentions. Before Weiss had known it, she'd been whisked away on a singing tour of Atlas. It was all a PR move on Jacques's part, and Weiss had hated every minute of it. The songs she'd sung had been carefully selected by the Company's media team. They'd mostly been vapid pop songs meant to appeal to the masses. Even though Weiss had been just a child, she still would've much rather sung something of artistic worth, but her opinion hadn't mattered in the least.

Weiss wasn't sure why she felt like singing now, but her confidence was growing. By the time she'd pulled out her dusting rag, she'd eased into an aria from one of her favorite operas. The song's lyrics were in Old Mistralian. Weiss had no idea what they meant, but she'd always found them hauntingly beautiful. The melody was smooth and soaring, and it reached all the way to the top of Weiss's vocal range. She faltered slightly on the high notes, but overall she was pleased with her performance considering how long it'd been.

Weiss finished her cleaning at the same time she finished the song. She looked around the room and nodded with satisfaction. It was far from perfect, but it was a lot better than it'd been.

Weiss glanced at the time. It was later than she realized. Classes had ended for the day almost twenty minutes ago. Weiss was glad that none of her teammates had walked in on her singing. It would've been horribly embarrassing, and she'd had quite enough of that already this semester.

It was time for Weiss's after-class study regimen to begin. She put away her cleaning supplies and scooped up her textbooks from off the writing desk. She headed for the door, but when she tried to open it, it collided with some obstacle out in the hallway.

"Whoa!" a voice said, accompanied by the faint humming sound of an aura absorbing an impact.

Weiss's eyes narrowed. She recognized the voice. "Yang? Is that you?"

The door slowly opened, revealing a sheepish looking Yang. "Uh, hi Weiss!" she said.

"What are you doing out there?" Weiss asked. Then she realized what the obvious answer to that question was. "Were you eavesdropping on me?"

"Would you believe me if I said no?" Yang asked.

Weiss opened the door all the way. "Get in here. Now," she commanded.

Yang did as she was told.

Weiss marched over to the desk and set her books back down. The moment Yang shut the door, Weiss launched into a tirade. "What were you thinking?! It's very rude to spy on people, you know! How would you like it if I spied on you!?"

"I wasn't spying on you!" Yang said, holding up her hands defensively.

"Then what were you doing?" Weiss demanded.

"I was coming back from class and I heard you through the door," Yang said. "Your singing was really beautiful. I just wanted to listen."

"And you just decided to do so without my permission?" Weiss asked. "You could have come inside."

"You would've stopped the second I opened the door," Yang said.

Weiss sighed heavily. Like usual, Yang had a point. That didn't excuse her behavior however.

Weiss said, "Just…don't tell Ruby or Blake, please."

"Why not?" Yang asked. "You were killing it!"

"I'd rather not put up with people asking me to sing," Weiss said. "I don't do it very often, and I certainly don't do it on request."

"Alright," Yang said. "Your secret is safe with me."

"Thank you," Weiss said.

"I'm sorry for listening in," Yang said. "Maybe I can make it up to you."

"You really don't need to do that," Weiss said, but it was too late. She could already see the gears turning in Yang's head.

A big grin appeared on Yang's face. It gave Weiss cause for concern.

"I know," Yang said. "I can share one of my secrets with you."

"That's…hardly necessary," Weiss said warily.

"No, no, this is going to be great!" Yang said. "Meet me in front of the teachers' lounge in…two hours!"

"But—" Weiss said.

Yang didn't give Weiss a chance to protest. She ran for the door, opened it, and was gone.

Almost immediately, Weiss's scroll buzzed in her pocket, alerting her that she had a new message. She pulled it out and opened it up.

 _Yang Xiao Long:  
Dont eat b4 u come_

Weiss started typing in a reply, but then Yang sent another message.

 _Yang Xiao Long:  
Dont tel ruby or blake its r secret!_

Weiss stared at her scroll. Whatever Yang had in mind, it was sure to seriously disrupt her study plans for the evening. Weiss didn't know if she wanted any part of whatever hijinks Yang was brewing up, but Yang seemed very excited about it.

Weiss looked over at the textbooks on her desk. She had a chapter to read and two assignments to complete. However, none of them were due tomorrow, and in two hours' time she could probably get through most of it.

Weiss debated with herself for a moment. She couldn't believe that she was actually considering going along with Yang rather than sticking to her study schedule, but she didn't often get the chance to spend time alone with Yang. This was an opportunity, and it wasn't like a Schnee to let one slip by.

A small smile graced Weiss's lips. She started typing into her scroll.

 _Me:  
I will meet you in precisely two hours. Don't be late._

* * *

Precisely two hours and twenty-seven minutes later, Weiss was beginning to wonder if she'd made the right decision. She was standing beside the door to the faculty lounge like Yang had asked, but so far there was no sign of Yang. Weiss's foot tapped impatiently.

A loud and unladylike gurgle came from Weiss's stomach. Weiss was glad that no one was around to hear it. Unbelievably, she hadn't eaten just like Yang had instructed. As detestable as the cafeteria food was at Beacon, Weiss was still loathed to go without dinner. She'd considered ignoring Yang and eating anyway, but she'd decided against it. She wanted to trust Yang. Hopefully, whatever Yang had planned involved food, although Weiss couldn't see how. The teachers' lounge was in a building on the other side of campus from the cafeteria.

Weiss looked at the time on her scroll again. She was just about to send Yang a message when she heard a sound coming from down the hallway. Weiss looked up and saw Yang pushing one of the carts the cafeteria staff used to collect dirty dishes. It was covered in a sheet, so Weiss couldn't see what was on it, but she could hear a clattering noise as it contents jostled about. Yang looked incredibly pleased with herself, although Weiss wasn't sure why.

"You're late, Xiao Long," Weiss said as Yang wheeled up to her.

"Not that late," Yang said.

Weiss didn't bother pointing out to Yang that she was, in fact, that late. Instead, she gestured to the cart and asked, "What's that for?"

"Oh you'll see," Yang said coyly. "Open the door for me, would you?"

"To the teachers' lounge?" Weiss asked. "We're not allowed in there! More to the point, it's locked."

"I got the code," Yang said.

"Really?" Weiss asked.

"Yup!" Yang said. "It's one, two, six, five."

Weiss eyed the keypad by the door. Had she been thinking, she would have just walked away, but her curiosity overrode her good sense. She typed in the numbers, and to her surprise, the door unlocked with an audible click.

"How did you know?" Weiss asked.

"I followed Port in once," Yang said. "He was in the middle of telling me one of his stories so he wasn't really paying attention."

Weiss opened the door for Yang, still heedless of the consequences. Yang rolled her cart inside and Weiss followed. The lounge was sparsely furnished for a room of its size. There was a couch, a few tables and chairs, a console that likely connected to the school's library system, an old and worn practice dummy in one corner, and a small kitchenette.

Yang wheeled her cart over to the kitchenette. She whipped off the sheet and said, "Voilà!"

The cart was loaded with cooking ingredient and utensils. Yang had obviously pilfered them from the cafeteria's kitchen. Most of the food was in bulk bags, including a nearly full fifty-pound bag of rice, and all of the pots and pans were oversized.

"I am going to cook us dinner!" Yang said.

"That's…that's nice," Weiss said. "But you shouldn't. What if a faculty member catches us in here?"

"They're all in their weekly meeting right now," Yang said. "We're good for at least an hour."

Weiss realized that was true. She'd learned the faculties' general schedule when she'd been trying to find a time to shower in private. However, she had no idea how Yang knew. Yang was being shockingly devious today.

"Yes, but…" Weiss tried to think up a reason not to do this. "You stole that food from the school."

"You mean the food they were going to serve us anyway?" Yang asked. "Come on, Weiss. I'm a great cook! And I know you're hungry."

"I'm not that—" Weiss started to say, but her stomach gurgled again, loudly.

Yang grinned, although she didn't say anything more.

Weiss reluctantly said, "Alright. You may cook us dinner."

Yang pumped her fist. "Awesome!" she exclaimed. She went to work immediately. In moments, there was a pot of water heating up on the stove, and Yang was chopping up some peppers on a cutting board.

Weiss watched Yang work with fascination. She'd never cooked a day in her life. In fact, she doubted anyone in her immediate family had, with the possible exception of Winter. Yang, however, was obviously an expert in the culinary arts, judging by the way she was handling herself.

"So this is the secret you wanted to share with me?" Weiss asked. "That you can cook?"

"Yup," Yang said.

"Why don't you want anyone to know?" Weiss asked.

"Probably for the same reasons you don't want anyone to know you can sing," Yang said.

Weiss almost reflexively said that she doubted that. How could unpleasant childhood memories be related to something as perfunctory as cooking? But she decided to be diplomatic about it and said, "I understand."

Yang set a skillet on the stove and tossed in some oil and the peppers she'd been cutting. A sizzling sound filled the air. Yang said, "Go ahead and have a seat. I'll dish it up when it's ready."

"Very well," Weiss said. She walked over to one of the tables and sat down. Despite the austere décor of the room, the sounds of Yang working and appetizing smells wafting from the kitchenette made for a pleasing, mellow ambiance.

Suddenly, the moment caught up with Weiss and hit her all at once. She was with a friend, a real friend, who was cooking her dinner. Nothing about what was happening right now seemed all that momentous, yet Weiss was overwhelmed. She almost felt woozy.

As far back as Weiss could remember, there had been a lingering feeling in the back of her mind that something was missing or out of place in her life. Had this been it? Was this what life was really supposed to be? Weiss didn't know, but something about this moment felt amazingly right.

"Yang?" Weiss said softly. "I really appreciate this. You didn't have to go this far."

"It's okay," Yang said from the kitchenette. "I've been looking for an excuse to do this anyway."

"You have? Why?" Weiss asked.

"I like you. You're a lot of fun once you let your guard down," Yang said. She looked over her shoulder and gave Weiss a look that could only be described as smoldering. "Besides, Dad always said that cooking was a sure way to impress the ladies."

Weiss's cheeks went red. "That's…" she said. "That's, uh…"

"So silly, I know!" Yang said with a laugh. "He's a terrible cook!"

"Yes. Silly," Weiss mumbled. That strange tension, like she'd experienced after the shower incident was back. She decided to let Yang work while she focused on her breathing.

Several minutes went by, and Weiss had just about gotten herself under control when a hand holding a plate of food appeared in front of her. Weiss looked up and saw Yang standing right beside her, closer than was strictly necessary. Weiss's eyes locked onto Yang's smiling lips. She'd never noticed before how soft they looked.

"Dinner is served, Miss Weiss," Yang said as she set the plate down on the table. Her free hand gently slid across Weiss's shoulders.

"T-thank you!" Weiss managed to say as a shiver went down her spine.

Yang's hand glided off of Weiss as she went back to the kitchenette. Weiss wasn't quite sure when Yang's all-too-frequent touches had gone from uncomfortable to uncomfortably enjoyable. She supposed she could always tell Yang to stop. A part of her wanted to do just that, but a part of her really didn't.

Yang returned from the kitchenette with her hands completely full. In one, she held a second plate of food with two forks precariously balanced on its edge. In the other, she'd managed to get a tenuous grip on the bottoms of two glasses of water. She set everything down, tossed a fork onto Weiss's plate, and took a seat. It was impressive that she hadn't dropped anything.

Weiss chuckled softly, letting her amusement chase away her more uncomfortable feelings. Leave it to Yang to make one trip back to the kitchenette when taking two would have been easier.

"Let's eat!" Yang said and started wolfing down her food.

Weiss picked up her fork. Yang had somehow managed to turn the unremarkable ingredients she'd stolen into an appetizing-looking vegetable and rice stir fry. Weiss tentatively took a bite. After weeks and weeks of eating cafeteria food, her taste buds thanked her. Yang's stir fry was no five-star cuisine, but it definitely had its charm.

"This is good," Weiss said.

"Told you," Yang said through a mouthful of food.

Yang finished eating long before Weiss did since Weiss was actually observing proper table manners. Yang didn't seem to mind however. She leaned back in her chair and smiled as she watched Weiss enjoy her food.

Weiss finally finished her dinner. She reached for her napkin only to realize that Yang hadn't provided her with one. Reluctantly, she made do with her hand.

"Thank you for dinner," Weiss said.

"No problem!" Yang said.

"Did your father teach you to cook?" Weiss asked. "I know you said he wasn't very good, but that doesn't mean he couldn't have taught you a few things."

"I'm self-taught," Yang said. She looked wistful all of a sudden. "I know it sounds silly, but after…after Mom died, the thing I missed most besides her was her cookies. I learned how to bake and I just kind of went from there."

Weiss suddenly felt guilty. It seemed that something like cooking really could be related to unpleasant childhood memories. Yang's words from last semester about making assumptions echoed in Weiss's ears. Weiss straightened her posture, and said, "I can appreciate something like that."

"You can?" Yang asked, sounding surprised.

"Yes," Weiss said. "There's a reason I want to be a huntress. My grandfather, the man who founded the Schnee Dust Company, did so by his own sweat and blood. He was a skilled warrior, and he wasn't afraid to lead from the front. People respected him because he'd earned their respect. I want to lead the Company like he did. I want to remind all of Remnant what a Schnee can do."

Yang, who'd been listening with rapt attention, said, "That's so awesome. I love how you always know what you want."

"That hardly makes me special," Weiss said. "I'm sure you know what you want too."

Yang scratched her head and looked away. "Not really. I mean, a few things, yeah," she said. Her eyes flickered over to Weiss for just an instant. "But I don't really have any plans for the future like you do."

"How can you not?" Weiss asked. "You're training to be a huntress."

"I only really enrolled at Signal back in the day because Ruby said she was going to," Yang admitted.

"Do you not want to be a huntress?" Weiss asked.

"Of course I do," Yang said. "I'm going to get paid to fight! How awesome is that? But beyond that? I don't know."

"It's not too late to figure things out," Weiss said. "We still have our whole lives ahead of us."

"Yeah. I guess we do," Yang said. Her gaze shifted back to Weiss. A grin appeared on her face and steadily grew wider.

Weiss resisted the urge to squirm uncomfortably in her seat. It almost looked like Yang was appraising her somehow. A warm and not entirely unpleasant feeling started filling Weiss, and the corner of her mouth turned up in an awkward half-smile.

"You know—" Yang started.

Suddenly, the doorknob rattled in its frame. Weiss's and Yang's heads snapped toward the door. Someone was trying to get in.

Yang sprung to her feet and ran to a window. "Let's get out of here!" she shouted.

Weiss was by her side in an instant, but she turned to look at the dirty dishes and cart loaded with cooking supplies. "But what about—?" she said.

"Leave it!" Yang said as she threw the window open. "Jump!"

Weiss and Yang leaped out the window. The lounge was on the second story, but that paltry height was nothing for two huntresses-in-training. Both Weiss and Yang hit the ground running.

Weiss should have been furious at Yang for getting her into this situation. She should have been terrified of getting caught and Father finding out. She should have been a lot of things, but as Yang giggled like a little kid, Weiss found herself smiling a genuine smile.

She never thought she'd be so happy to get caught singing.

* * *

 _Author's Note: Apologies to all maids and cafeteria workers out there. Weiss's opinion on your vocations are not my own._

 _Here's a fun bonus fact. In a past life I was a business consultant, and I spent most of my time in my clients' offices. As such, I was privy to a lot of door codes. The code I used in this chapter is a real code to a real business somewhere in North America!_

 _For the record, the worst door code I ever saw was, and I'm not making this up, 1-2-3-4-5. To make things even funnier, the 1 through 5 keys on the keypad were completely worn down from use, and the rest were pristine and untouched. They were practically inviting someone to break in._

 _I'm still Live Blogging Volume 4 over on my tumblr (electronicyarn). There still at least one episode left. Come see what I think of the (hopefully) riveting conclusion!_

 _As always, I welcome constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave a review. And if you like what you've read, taking the time to favorite and/or follow really helps me out. You can also find me on tumblr (electronicyarn) if you want to send me a message or be notified of updates._


	6. Doubling Up

**Chapter 6: Doubling Up**

Weiss stared past the end of her rapier at her two opponents on the far side of Beacon's combat arena. Ren's face was impassive and unreadable as ever. He held his machine pistols in a neutral stance that didn't reveal anything about his intentions. Nora, on the other hand, was as easy to read as an open book. She was smiling like a kid in a candy store and was holding her hammer high, ready to smash the first thing unfortunate enough to get in her way.

Sparring class for the past few weeks had been a nonstop series of matches between all the teams that wanted to participate in the Vytal Festival tournament. Today was the final day of the qualifiers. Team RWBY had done exceptionally well, but Weiss still wasn't going to leave anything to chance. She would be in the tournament, and when her battles were broadcast the world round, Father would see firsthand just how much she'd learned.

Next to Weiss, Ruby was holding Crescent Rose at the ready. Like the tournament itself, the qualifying matches had taken on a number of different formats. This particular match was a doubles match.

Over in the referee's box, Professor Glynda Goodwitch said, "Combatants on your guard!"

Weiss glanced at Ruby. "Just like we discussed?" she asked.

"Yup!" Ruby said. "Let's show them what we can do."

"Begin!" Glynda called out.

The moment the match started, Ren and Nora charged forward as one. Weiss held her ground, while Ruby zoomed toward Nora. Ruby intercepted Nora with a swing of her scythe, and both of them started trading blows. Crescent Rose and Magnhild danced around each other with speed belying their size.

Ren, meanwhile, kept coming for Weiss. He fired off controlled bursts from his machine pistols as he closed the distance. Weiss thrust her finger forward and conjured up a white glyph in front of her. The incoming bullets collided with the glyph in a glittering display of light.

Weiss kept putting energy into her glyph to keep Ren's attacks from dispelling it. She wanted him to be the one to come to her. That way, he'd be separated from Nora. He and Nora were much more dangerous when they fought together.

Ren obliged Weiss and continued charging at her. Just as he finished closing the gap, Weiss dropped her glyph and thrust at him with her sword. Ren blocked with the blades on his pistols and a crisp note of metal clashing on metal rang out.

Weiss stepped to the side and repeatedly struck at Ren, all the while keeping him at a comfortable distance where she could use her superior reach to her advantage. Ren expertly parried Weiss's attacks, and a battle of footwork began. Each step Ren and Weiss took was like a move on a chessboard, and both of them were very skilled at this particular game. It was anyone's guess who would maneuver who out of position first.

After dozens of moves and countermoves, all in the space of seconds, Weiss unexpectedly closed the distance. She thrust Myrtenaster at Ren again and almost broke through his guard, but he crossed his blade at the last second and caught Weiss's sword between them. Sparks flew as the weapons ground against each other.

From up in the stands, Weiss heard Yang shout, "Go Weiss go!"

Weiss really didn't need any distractions right now, but despite herself, her mouth turned up into a smile. Even with Ruby down on the arena floor, Weiss somehow knew that she had Yang's undivided attention.

Everyone who attended Beacon at least had an appreciation for the art of combat, but Yang took that appreciation to the next level. There was nothing she loved more than a good fight, and Weiss had an illogical desire to show off for her. She resisted the urge, however. She shouldn't compromise her chances of winning the match just to impress Yang.

Yang shouted, "Come on, Weiss! Kick his butt!"

On the other hand, Weiss thought, maybe showing off a little would be okay. She flicked her sword's revolver over to the yellow Dust chamber and pulled the trigger.

Electric energy ran down Mytenaster's blade and arced up into Ren. There was an audible zap, and Ren was flung back. He managed to stay on his feet, but Weiss was already on the offensive again. She glided forward on another glyph and struck the unprepared Ren across his chest.

Ren was completely knocked off-balance. Four more glyphs appeared in the air around him. Quick as a flash, Weiss jumped from glyph to glyph, attacking Ren each time she passed. It wasn't an efficient path to victory, but it was showy.

"Yeah!" Yang shouted. "You go, Weiss!"

Weiss's glyphs dissipated, and she landed with an unnecessary flip in front of Ren. A sheath of energy flickered over Ren as his aura struggled to maintain itself. Weiss raised her sword up to go for the final blow.

Suddenly, a series of explosions rocked the arena.

"Look ooouuut!" Ruby cried as she ran in between Weiss and Ren at full speed.

A stream of grenades, courtesy of Nora, followed closely at Ruby's heels. Weiss leaped back out of the way, and Ren scrambled clear of the blasts.

Nora laughed maniacally as she saturated the arena with concussive explosions. Ren got back to his feet and ran over to Nora's side, the one place he was less likely to be hit by her barrage.

Ruby kept running at full speed and Weiss maneuvered around on a glyph to stay one step ahead of Nora. Weiss was beginning to regret showing off. Using her semblance took a surprising amount of energy, and right now, it was the only thing keeping her safe.

Mercifully, Nora finally ran out of ammunition. Weiss had yet to figure out how Nora was able to fit so many grenades into her launcher. It looked like it should only hold six. Every time Weiss had asked about it, Nora had just shrugged and claimed not to know.

Weiss and Ruby regrouped while Nora popped her one and only reload into her grenade launcher. Weiss actually hoped that Nora would start firing indiscriminately at them again. If Nora ran out of ammo, Weiss and Ruby would have a distinct tactical advantage.

For a second it looked like Nora actually was going to do what Weiss wanted, but Ren looked at her and said, "Nora."

"Right," Nora said, understanding him perfectly. She unfolded her grenade launcher back into its hammer configuration.

Nora sprung off her back foot and charged forward in a very obvious attack. Weiss and Ruby raised their weapons to block, but they turned out to not be Nora's target.

"Flooower Pooower!" Nora shouted. She leaped into the air and slammed her hammer down into the ground between Weiss and Ruby with Remnant-shattering force, firing off a grenade for good measure. The resulting shockwaves tossed Weiss and Ruby helplessly up into the air like ragdolls.

Ren jumped into the fray, spinning and slashing at Ruby. Then he delivered a devastating kick that sent her flying. Nora simply cocked back her hammer like she was playing baseball and knocked Weiss out of the metaphorical park.

Both Weiss and Ruby went soaring through the air. Weiss was vaguely aware of Yang booing, but a moment later, she was too busy tumbling across the floor of the arena to concern herself with such things.

Weiss staggered to her feet. The impact from Nora's blow had left her feeling dizzy. She could tell her aura was dangerously low. Nevertheless, she raised Myrtenaster again. Even if Team RWBY was practically guaranteed into the Vytal Festival tournament at this point, she was not going to let her team miss being the number one seed. And she was especially not going to lose a fight with Yang watching.

"Weiss!" Ruby said getting to her feet as well. "Plan E?"

Weiss frowned. Plan E was Ruby's idea, and as such, it was just crazy. Weiss didn't think it would work, but then again, she hadn't thought that slingshotting Ruby into a giant nevermore would've worked either.

"Very well," Weiss said.

Ruby grinned in a manner reminiscent of her sister and then sped off faster than the eye could follow.

Nora and Ren were already heading straight for Weiss. Weiss brought the hilt of her rapier up to her chin and stood ready. There was no way she could take her opponents two on one, but she knew she wouldn't have to.

A billow of rose peddles intercepted Ren, and he was stopped in his tracks by a whirling scythe. Nora, however, didn't stop. Her sights were firmly set on Weiss.

Weiss waited for Nora to be at just the right distance. Then she propelled herself forward on a glyph with Mytenaster ready to strike. The yellow Dust chamber was already loaded, so Weiss simply squeezed the trigger. The E in Plan E stood for electricity. It was one of Ruby's more pedantic names for an attack.

Nora grinned when she saw the electric current arcing over Weiss's sword. She didn't even try to block or dodge; she just took the attack straight on. The power of Nature's Wrath flowed into her, feeding her semblance. The air around her began to hum, and her eyes literally lit up with power.

Weiss jumped back. Nora, as expected, took the time to grin menacingly as she crackled with overflowing energy. That gave Weiss the time she needed to switch Myrtenaster over to the red Dust chamber. Weiss couldn't believe that Nora had never considered that such an obvious tactical error might have been a trap, but then again, Nora's one fatal flaw was how predictable she was. To her, every problem was a nail, and as she was fond of demonstrating, she had a very big hammer. Ruby had devised Plan E with that very fact in mind.

Weiss stood firm even as Nora raised her hammer up to squash her like a bug. Nora swung, and at the last second, Weiss charged Mytanister's blade with red Dust and thrust it upward. There was a flash of red light and a sound like a firework going off as the energy in Weiss's sword repulsed Nora's colossal blow.

The furious sights and sounds were Ruby's cue. In an instant, she sped away from Ren and ran straight for Nora. Pouring on the speed, she leaped into the air and fired a shot off behind her to propel herself even faster. Conveniently, the bullet was headed in Ren's direction and forced him to waste valuable time dodging.

Ruby flew like a rocket through the air with her feet forward and delivered a bone-crushing dropkick into Nora's back. Weiss spun out of the way as Nora went flying and whipped her sword around. She struck Nora as she passed and released the energy in Mytenster's blade, speeding Nora on her way with a fiery explosion.

Nora whizzed through the air, covered in residual flames from Weiss's attack. She collided face-first with the arena wall and fell to the ground.

There was a buzz overhead. Glynda called, "Miss Valkyrie is out!"

"I'm okay," Nora gurgled from the arena floor.

Weiss and Ruby weren't done yet, however. Ren was still in the match. Ruby shouted, "White Rose!"

Ruby sped for Ren, and Weiss wasn't far behind on her glyph. White Rose was very similar to Ruby and Blake's Ladybug attack. Ruby used her speed and Weiss used her glyphs to swarm over Ren from every angle all at once. With his partner eliminated and no relief in sight, Ren had no chance. His aura quickly dwindled away until the buzzer sounded again.

"Lie Ren is out," Glynda called. "Team RWBY wins!"

There was some polite clapping from the students watching up in the stands, punctuated by Yang cheering wildly.

Weiss was breathing heavily. Using her semblance so much in one fight was taxing. She most definitely should not have shown off for Yang, but hearing Yang's loud applause made it feel worthwhile.

Ren slid his guns back into his sleeves. Even defeated, he hadn't lost his composure. He extended his hand to Weiss and said, "An impressive strategy. Well done."

Weiss attached her sword to the magnetic clip hidden in her combat skirt's waistline and shook Ren's hand. "Thank you," she said. "Although Ruby was the one who came up with it."

"I see," Ren said. "I look forward to seeing Team RWBY representing Beacon in the tournament."

"Uh…" Ruby said. "Is Nora going to be okay?"

Weiss and Ren followed Ruby's gaze. Nora had gotten back to her feet, but she was swaying back and forth. There was a dazed look on her face, and she was mumbling something about pancakes.

"She'll be fine," Ren said.

Glynda took center stage on the arena floor. She said, "Congratulations go to Miss Rose and Miss Schnee for their victory. I hope everyone was paying attention. That bout was an excellent example of how an opponent's strength can be turned into a weakness. This was the last qualifier for the day. The results will be posted next week. Class is dismissed. Everyone have a productive weekend."

"Let's go, Weiss!" Ruby said. "Yang and Blake said they'd meet us in the locker room."

* * *

A little while later, Ruby was putting Crescent Rose back into her locker, all the while cooing at it like it was a baby. Weiss was taking the opportunity to perform some maintenance on Myrtenaster. She had already removed the revolver and cleaned the barrels. Now she was carefully reloading the Dust chambers.

"Oh man! That was such a great fight!" Yang's voice called out. Weiss looked up and saw Yang walking up, shadowed by Blake.

Ruby shut her locker and said, "See? I told you Plan E would work."

"Oh my baby sister is just so smart. Come here!" Yang said. She picked Ruby up off the floor with a crushing bear hug.

"Ack! Yang!" Ruby protested. Her feet kicked helplessly in the air. "Put me down and go hug Weiss or something!"

Yang let Ruby go and looked at Weiss with a glint in her eye.

Weiss held up a hand and said, "Not while I'm handling Dust!"

Yang pouted, managing to look adorable in the process, but she was smart enough to know that Weiss had a good point.

Blake said, "We should talk about our strategy for the actual tournament. We won't have the advantage there of knowing our opponents so well."

"Ooh! Ooh! I've had some good ideas about that!" Ruby said.

While Ruby and Blake started talking back and forth about strategy, Weiss turned back to her maintenance. She carefully measured out the Dust for the next chamber, but at the same time, her mind started to wander.

Yang never had actually outright hugged Weiss before. Weiss was glad for that, she told herself. Something like a hug would be going too far. Fortunately, she'd had an excuse to hold off Yang today without having to outright refuse her. Weiss had thought many times recently about sitting Yang down and laying out some guidelines about what was and wasn't permissible. She knew that Yang would abide by them, but somehow every time she'd made up her mind to finally go and do it, she'd always found a reason to put it off.

Weiss's gaze drifted up to Yang. It was undeniable that Yang had been very affectionate as of late, especially since their clandestine dinner in the faculty lounge. Yang hadn't done anything overly overt, but a whole lot of little things—a compliment here, a touch there—had really added up. Yang's touches in particular had grown more frequent. They always started off innocently enough, but Yang's hand would often linger longer than it should. It was uncomfortable. It was borderline inappropriate. It was wonderful.

A thought that had been slowly taking shape in the depth of Weiss's subconscious finally found its way into her conscious mind. It was okay for Yang to touch her. Weiss hated being touched, but it was okay for Yang to touch her.

Weiss wasn't sure she welcomed this new revelation, but as she looked Yang over, she couldn't bring herself to be disappointed. Yang was just so important to her these days that it seemed only natural.

Weiss watched as Yang reached up and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. Her eyes followed Yang's hand as it slowly and deliberately drifted down her luxurious, golden mane. Weiss sighed softly.

Suddenly, Weiss's eyes widened in horror as she realized three things. First, she was openly gawking at Yang again. Second, Yang was well aware that she was gawking. Third, instead of being embarrassed or telling Weiss to stop, Yang was actually _preening_!

Yang said, "Take a picture, Weissy. It'll last longer."

Ruby and Blake stopped talking and turned their heads. Weiss's face drained of color. Had Yang just used a pet name? Weiss needed to put a stop to that right now, but she seemed to have forgotten how to speak. Even worse, she was still staring, and now Blake and Ruby knew it too.

Blake groaned and shook her head.

"What?" Ruby asked, confused.

"Nothing," Blake said exasperatedly. For just an instant, her lips twitched into an impish smile. She said, "Maybe before we talk strategy, we should figure out who we'll be sending to the doubles round of the tournament."

Weiss was grateful for the sudden shift in topic. She said, "True, but before we do that, we need to decide who's going to fight in the singles round."

Blake said, "Yang."

Ruby said, "Yang."

Yang grinned and said, "Me of course!"

"It could have been me," Weiss mumbled. It would be a lie to say that she didn't want the prestige for herself, but she had to admit that Yang had a drive to win that was hard to match.

"Now that we've decided that," Blake said. "I think we should have Yang and Weiss fight in the doubles round."

"Really?" Yang asked. "You don't want to fight with me, Partner?"

Weiss was inclined to agree with Yang. Blake and Yang were lucky they'd been made partners. They'd found an impressive synergy in combat that only Nora and Ren could match.

Blake said to Yang, "Just think of all the time you'll have to spend training with Weiss. It'll be just the two of you. Together. Alone."

A big, stupid grin spread over Yang's face. She said, "Yeah. That's…yeah. We should do that. What do you think, Rubes?"

Ruby still looked confused, but she said, "Okay. If you think that's best."

Weiss wasn't really sure what was happening, but she was pleased that she'd at least be featured in the doubles round. Spending extra time with Yang had its appeal too.

The clicking of heels on the cement floor of the locker room drew everyone's attention. They all turned and saw Glynda approaching them.

"Ah. There you all are," Glynda said.

"Professor Goodwitch?" Weiss asked. "What can we do for you?"

"As you know, there is a school dance scheduled soon," Glynda said. "Team CFVY was in charge of planning it, but their mission has gone longer than expected. Miss Adel suggested offering the responsibility to Team RWBY in her team's stead."

Weiss excitedly asked, "You want us to plan the pre-Festival dance?"

"If you would like," Glynda said.

"Absolutely! We accept," Weiss said.

"Very good," Glynda said. "I will be your faculty coordinator for the event. I will send you all the pertinent details shortly."

"Of course," Weiss said. "You won't be disappointed giving us this opportunity!"

"I'm sure. Please submit your proposed budget by the end of the week," Glynda said. She turned smartly on her heels and walked away.

"Uh…" Ruby said after Glynda had left. "Do we all have to help plan the dance?"

"Oh don't worry. I'll handle everything!" Weiss said. She was practically salivating at the thought of organizing a big social event. This had been quite the surprise gift.

Blake asked, "Why did Coco suggest us as her replacement? I talk to Velvet, but I don't really know anyone else on Team CFVY."

Yang said, "Coco and I are friends. She's got to be mad that she's going to miss the dance. It's a good thing me and her already picked out Ruby's outfit."

"You did?" Ruby asked ruefully. "It doesn't have heels does it?"

Yang's smirk said it all.

"Nooo!" Ruby wailed.

"Don't worry, Sis. You're going to look great!" Yang said. "And since I get to help plan the dance, it's going to be great too."

Weiss said, "That's hardly necessary. As I said, I can handle everything."

"Oh I insist, Miss Weiss," Yang said. "I've got to make sure the dance is Coco-approved after all."

Blake said, "It sounds like the two of you have things well in hand then."

"You bet we do!" Yang said. "Right, Weiss?"

"Yes…" Weiss said. "I suppose planning the dance with you could be…interesting."

* * *

 _Author's Note: This chapter took a little longer to get out than I hoped, but here it is. I think I got a handle on the update schedule now, at least in the short term._

 _What is Blake up to? I'll be perfectly honest, not even I'm sure. Maybe she's secretly a Freezerburn shipper. Maybe she's just trying to get Yang back for the whole fish dinner thing back in Chapter 3. Who knows?_

 _As always, I welcome constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave a review. And if you like what you've read, taking the time to favorite and/or follow really helps me out. You can also find me on tumblr (electronicyarn) if you want to send me a message or be notified of updates._


	7. Too Close for Comfort

**Chapter 7: Too Close for Comfort**

Weiss was in heaven. Planning the upcoming school dance had been even more delightful than she'd imagined it would be. Her love of schedules and her obsessive attention to detail had both found a wondrous new outlet for expression. It was almost a shame that she wanted to become a huntress and had a duty to command the Schnee Dust Company someday. A career as a professional event planner would suit her well. Perhaps it could be a hobby of hers in the future. High society, if nothing else, provided innumerable opportunities to hold formal parties.

Weiss was standing in the center of the very room that would host the dance. She had a binder open in her hands. She'd started it the day Professor Goodwitch had given Team RWBY the responsibility of planning the dance, and it had quickly grown in size to rival her Vytal Festival binder.

The binder was open to a master checklist that Weiss had created. Weiss traced a finger down the page. The next major decision on the list was what kind of decorations to use. Weiss knew she'd have to show some restraint in that regard. She was already dangerously close to exceeding the dance's meager budget.

When Weiss had first submitted her proposed budget for the dance to Professor Goodwitch, the response had been an instant rejection. It'd seemed that Weiss had severely overestimated what the school was willing to spend on a social event. She'd considered supplementing the budget with her own money, but she'd decided not to. Team CFVY had never had the option to spend extra money, and judging by their reputation, they'd always managed to throw great parties. Weiss wanted to prove that she could do the same without cheating.

It had been painful working within such limited means at first. Weiss had been forced to substitute the caterer for one that was less expensive, and she'd had to downgrade the live band to a DJ. But in the end, it had been satisfying to work within the constraints given to her and still find a way to get most of what she wanted.

Weiss slowly spun around the room. A decorating scheme was taking shape in her head. She envisioned soft lighting, pastel colors, and floral accents. It would set the mood just right. Now all Weiss had to do was get Yang to agree.

Working with Yang had been fun, but it had also been challenging at times. She and Weiss clearly had different ideas about what the dance was going to be like, and it was difficult to get Yang to stay focused for more than an hour at a time. In fact, at the moment Yang was sitting at a table with her nose buried in her scroll.

Weiss closed her binder and walked over to where Yang was sitting. "What are you doing?" she asked. "You said you wanted to help me with the decorations."

"I'm just trying to see if we can rent a fog machine," Yang said without looking away from her scroll.

"A fog machine?" Weiss asked. "We can't have a fog machine."

"Why not?" Yang asked, looking up this time.

"It'd be so…garish," Weiss said.

Yang chuckled. "Yeah? So? This is just a school dance."

"It's not just a school dance!" Weiss said. "Beacon is the most prestigious combat school in all of Remnant! The dance should reflect that! Let's not forget all the exchange students that are already here for the Vytal Festival. Most of them will be attending the dance as well. I'm not going to let it be anything less than perfect."

"How can a dance be perfect without a fog machine?" Yang asked.

"No one wants a fog machine at a dance!" Weiss insisted.

"I do," Yang said. "Coco would too."

Weiss's mouth screwed up into a frown. She knew Yang well enough to recognize when she'd made up her mind about something. If she kept pushing Yang, they were going to end up in an argument. Weiss didn't want that, but she didn't see any way around it either.

Suddenly, an idea popped into Weiss's head, and a scheming smile crossed her face. She saw the perfect way to get what she wanted. It would require a little deviousness on her part, but she had no problem with that. She said, "I propose we negotiate."

"You want to negotiate?" Yang asked.

"Yes," Weiss said. "You decide what you want. I'll decide what I want. And we'll compromise like sensible adults."

"Seems a little silly," Yang said.

Weiss knew that Yang was going to say that; just like she knew that Yang wasn't going to be able to resist what she said next. "Are you afraid I'll out-negotiate you? I guess I can't blame you. It can be intimidating when someone's better than you."

"Oooh. I love it when you're feisty," Yang said, grinning. "Alright, Weissy. You're on."

"Let's spend a few minutes thinking about what we want, and then compare notes," Weiss suggested.

"Alright," Yang said.

Weiss walked over to another table, sat down, and opened her binder to a fresh page. She took out a pen and started writing down a list of things that the dance _would_ have. Yang had no idea what she'd gotten herself into. Weiss respected Yang, but Yang hadn't been groomed from a very young age to inherit the largest company in the world like Weiss had. Yang hadn't had to negotiate with Jacques Schnee himself to be allowed to enroll at Beacon. Simply put, Weiss was going to wipe the floor with her.

A few minutes later, Weiss set her pen down. She opened her binder's rings and pulled out the page she'd written on. Then she stood and walked over to Yang.

"Shall we begin?" Weiss asked as she sat opposite Yang.

Yang leaned forward. "Bring it on!" she said.

"Item one. Doilies," Weiss said.

"Doilies? Really?" Yang asked.

"Absolutely," Weiss said. "No social event of any worth has ever been held without doilies."

Yang looked thoughtful for a moment. Then she said, "If you want doilies…I want strippers."

"You…what?!" Weiss exclaimed. "But! We can't have…exotic dancers at a school event."

"We don't have to tell Goodwitch," Yang said.

"She'll be at the dance!" Weiss said. "Why would you even want to have unclothed women prancing about in front of everyone?!"

"I never said they had to be women," Yang said slyly. "But if that's what you were thinking…"

"Absolutely not!" Weiss said, slamming her fist on the table. Then a light came on in her head. "You're just trying to rile me up. Aren't you?"

"Took you long enough to figure it out," Yang said.

Weiss sighed. "I wish you'd take this more seriously."

"It's a dance. It's supposed to be fun," Yang said. "But alright. If you want doilies, I want a fog machine."

Negotiations were not proceeding as Weiss had anticipated. She opened her mouth to reply when another voice said, "Your dances can have fog machines? That's pretty cool."

Weiss and Yang turned their heads and saw Neptune and Sun walking up.

"You bet we can!" Yang said. "Right Weiss?"

"We were…considering having one," Weiss said reluctantly.

Yang asked, "What are you guys doing here anyway?"

Sun shrugged and said, "We're lost."

"Hup-up-up!" Neptune said. "We're exploring our surroundings."

Sun asked, "The dance is going to be pretty soon, isn't it? You ladies all excited for dress up?"

"You know it!" Yang said. She crossed her arms and puffed out her chest. "I'm going to be turning heads this weekend."

Weiss was eager to get rid of Sun and Neptune. She still had several items to go over with Yang. She was just about to politely ask them to leave when a thought came to her. "Neptune," she said. "Would you like to make any suggestions about what we should do for the dance?"

"Sure," Neptune said. "I can think of a few ideas."

* * *

An hour later, Neptune's few ideas had turned into dozens, and he wasn't showing any sign of stopping. He continued, "And that's why you can't have a good dance without at least a few balloons."

"Balloons. Right," Weiss said. She wrote that down at the bottom of the copious notes she'd taken. She was very glad she'd asked Neptune for his input. He seemed to be astute in the ways of school dances. It turned out that she'd been slightly off base. Her plans would have to be adjusted.

"Now another thing—" Neptune said.

"Ugh!" Sun interrupted. He sprung out of the chair he'd been sitting backward in. "I can't take it anymore!"

"I just have one or two more things to say," Neptune explained.

"Yeah right!" Sun said. He grabbed Neptune by the arm and started pulling him away. "Come on! We're going to get un-lost."

Yang pointed to a door. "Dorms are that way! Just take the path on the left."

"Thanks!" Sun said.

"Ladies," Neptune said, looking as charming as was possible while being physically dragged away. Just before Sun pulled him out the door, he called out, "Don't forget! Balloons!"

Yang mumbled, "Finally. I thought they'd never leave."

Weiss didn't say anything. She was looking intently at her notes. New ideas were already coming to her. She started pacing around in circles, lost in thought.

"Weiss?" Yang asked after a minute.

Weiss was still too busy thinking to hear Yang.

"Weiiissy," Yang tried again.

Weiss snapped out of her trance. "I'm sorry. Did you say something?"

Yang chuckled. "I think it's time to call it a night."

"It's not…" Weiss glanced out the windows. She was surprised to see that it was dark outside. "Oh. It is night," she said.

"Come on, let's head back to the dorm," Yang said.

"You go ahead," Weiss said. "There are still some things I'd like to figure out."

"There's still plenty of time for that," Yang said. "You've been working at this non-stop for days. You need to learn how to relax once in a while."

"I know perfectly well how to relax," Weiss said.

"Suuure you do," Yang said. "You're so tense I can see it from here."

"I am not!" Weiss insisted.

Yang cocked her head at Weiss and gave her an amused grin. She grabbed a nearby chair and set it down in front of her. Without a word, she beckoned Weiss over.

"What?" Weiss asked.

"Come here," Yang said with the voice of a Siren. "I'm going to show you how to relax."

Weiss suddenly felt uncomfortably warm. In the space of a heartbeat, something about Yang had changed. The look on Yang's face excited and terrified Weiss simultaneously. A tiny voice in the back of Weiss's head was telling her to run, but surely that was ridiculous. Yang was her friend after all.

Weiss closed her binder and set it down on a table. Slowly, she walked to Yang and sat in the chair. She had no idea what was about to happen.

Yang walked around so that she was standing behind Weiss. She gently took hold of Weiss's jacket and started to slide it off.

Weiss's hand shot up and grabbed her jacket, holding it firmly in place. "What are you doing?" she asked.

Weiss turned in her seat to face Yang. She saw something in Yang's eyes, something she'd never seen before. She had no name for it, but it was beautiful.

Yang said, "I'm just trying to help you out. Trust me."

"I do," Weiss said, mostly to reassure herself. She turned back and let go of her jacket.

Yang slid Weiss's jacket off her shoulders and set it aside. Weiss's blouse was only meant to be worn with her jacket. It had no sleeves, hardly any back, and there were just two thin straps holding it onto her shoulders. Weiss shivered. She wasn't used to being so exposed.

Weiss felt Yang's fingers fumbling with her necklace's clasp. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up as the light contact filled her with anticipation. She was hungry for Yang's touch, even though she didn't want to be. And this little appetizer was only serving to whet her appetite.

Yang finally got the clasp open. She carefully removed Weiss's necklace and set it aside as well. Then she placed her hands on Weiss's shoulders and began to massage them.

Weiss resisted at first, but Yang's firm kneading slowly coaxed her into surrender. When she finally let go, tension started melting out of her shoulders. She let out a long sigh of relief, suddenly feeling foolish for being so reluctant to let this happen. Yang's hands were absolutely exquisite.

Just when Weiss thought it couldn't get any better, Yang started working her way up her neck. Weiss practically cooed with joy, not even caring how undignified she sounded.

"I really was tense," Weiss muttered.

"Told you," Yang said.

Weiss's eyes drifted closed. "Please. Don't stop."

Yang chuckled. "Anything you say, Miss Weiss."

Minutes languidly flew by as Yang elicited more soft sighs out of Weiss. She slowly worked her way back down to Weiss's shoulders. Casually, she asked, "Have you decided who you want to go to the dance with yet?"

Weiss's eyes opened. A few of the usual suspects had already asked her to go with them and had all been summarily rejected, but Weiss had been so caught up in planning the dance that she hadn't thought about who she actually did want to go with. That was far too embarrassing to admit, however, so she said, "I have a date in mind."

"Oh yeah?" Yang asked, sounding oddly excited. "Who might the lucky person be?"

"You'll…just have to wait and see," Weiss said.

"I'll try to act surprised," Yang mumbled under her breath. She gave Weiss's shoulders one last squeeze, making Weiss groan, and then let go. "There. All relaxed," she said.

Weiss wished Yang would keep going, but she was far too proud to ask for more. She couldn't believe how relaxed she felt. She almost wanted to go take a nap, but she never wasted her time napping. It was far too close to bedtime for that anyway.

Weiss stood and said, "Thank you so much." She picked up her necklace and put it back on. She reached for her jacket next, but Yang beat her to it.

"Allow me," Yang said. She held Weiss's jacket open for her.

"Thank you again," Weiss said as she slipped her arms into her jacket's sleeves.

"Ready to head back to the dorm?" Yang asked.

"Actually, I think I'll take a quick walk," Weiss said.

"Alright," Yang said. "I'll see you back there."

Weiss left the dance hall, completely oblivious to the fact that she'd left her planning binder behind.

It was a crystal clear night outside. Weiss glanced up at the fragments of the moon that were shining brightly against the backdrop of stars. She started aimlessly wandering about campus. She was relaxed enough that it was actually hard to focus, but Yang had raised a point that needed to be addressed. She had to consider who her date to the dance was going to be. It wouldn't do for her to show up alone to an event that she herself had planned, but at the same time, she didn't want to go with just anybody. It should be someone she wanted to be seen with, someone she respected, someone who wasn't interested in her as a prize or as a means to an end. It should be someone, well, someone like Yang.

Weiss's mind conjured up the image of her and Yang meeting on the dance floor in elegant dresses and spending an evening lost in each other's arms. A dulcet smile crossed Weiss's lips at the lovely idea.

Suddenly, Weiss's train of thought came screeching to a halt when she realized what she was doing. Her shoulders tighten, and all the tension that Yang had chased away came flooding back. She'd known in the back of her mind that her feelings toward Yang had been steadily growing since this semester had begun, but not in a way that was inappropriate for good friends. Why on Remnant was she fantasizing about going to the dance with Yang?!

Panic rose up in Weiss. What was happening to her?! This was not who she was, she told herself. She was not some sort of deviant! She did not want to go to the dance with Yang! She was certainly not attracted to Yang! And she was going to fix this right now! It was simple. She'd just find some sensible person to ask out to the dance, they'd have a lovely time together, and that would be that.

Weiss's mind raced trying to figure out who she could ask out. She eventually settled on Neptune. He was attractive; at least Yang had seemed to think so. He and Weiss got along well, as Yang herself had pointed out. And most importantly, he was male.

Weiss took off in a jog toward the dormitory building that the exchange students were being housed in. If she hurried, she could ask Neptune out tonight and get all her silly thoughts about going to the dance with Yang out of her head. Yang would never agree to such a thing anyway. Her chronic intrusions into Weiss's personal space aside, Yang's blatant ogling of Sun and Neptune back when they'd all first met made it perfectly clear that she didn't suffer from any deviancy.

Weiss rounded a corner. She was in sight of the dormitories now, and that wasn't all she saw. Off in the distance she spotted Neptune standing by himself. He appeared to be gazing up at the stars, admiring the beauty of the night sky.

Weiss slowed to a halt. She silently blessed Neptune for showing up at Beacon. He was exactly what she needed: handsome, wealthy, sophisticated, and socially adept. Weiss could be proud to be seen with him. Even Father would approve of her going to the dance with him. Best of all, he was an exchange student. Should things not work out, he'd be gone in a few weeks and Weiss would never have to see him again. He was, in a word, perfect. The only problem was that Weiss didn't feel any attraction toward him, but surely that was a temporary issue. Feelings of attraction would come in time, Weiss told herself. She would force herself to be attracted to him if she had to.

Weiss took a moment to calm herself down. She adjusted her jacket to make sure it was situated properly and checked to make sure that her hair was presentable. Then she started walking confidently toward Neptune like nothing was wrong.

"Hello, Neptune," Weiss said when she'd gotten close.

"Oh! Hi again, Weiss," Neptune said with a charming smile.

"I know this is unorthodox," Weiss said. "But would you like to accompany me to the dance this weekend?"

* * *

 _Author's Note: Things got a little serious in this chapter, slightly more serious than I was intending if I'm perfectly honest. Sadly, Weiss's reaction here is an all too realistic one._

 _Things aren't all doom and gloom, however. There is a path forward for Weiss from here. The story's not done yet, not by half!_

 _As always, I welcome constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave a review. And if you like what you've read, taking the time to favorite and/or follow really helps me out. You can also find me on tumblr (electronicyarn) if you want to send me a message or be notified of updates._


	8. Straight Talk

**Chapter 8: Straight Talk**

Weiss was furiously tapping away at her scroll's screen as she stood in the dance hall. Tonight was the night of the dance, and the DJ she'd hired was trying to raise his price at the last minute. Ordinarily, Weiss would've had at least some tolerance for the game he was playing, but right now she simply wasn't in the mood to put up with it. Especially since he hadn't even had the guts to renegotiate face-to-face. His cowardice had saved him a vicious tongue lashing, but the messages Weiss was sending him were no less potent. He would be at the dance, and he would not get one Lien more than they'd already agreed to.

Weiss sent the DJ one last message, forcefully closed her scroll, and shoved it back into her pocket. She rubbed the back of her neck, trying in vain to relieve the tension there. She could really use another massage, but she was absolutely not going to ask Yang for one. Who knew what kind of aberrant feelings it might inspire in her.

The last few days, Weiss had thrown herself headlong into making sure everything was ready for the dance. She'd only paused to go to class and occasionally study. She'd hardly slept or ate, and above all else, she'd avoided speaking to Yang more than was strictly necessary.

Preparations for the dance were almost complete. In a few hours, the hall would be filled with students enjoying themselves. Weiss couldn't wait. The sooner things got started, the sooner they'd end. Weiss had been so eager for the day of the dance to arrive, but now that it was here, all she wanted was for it to be over. Maybe then everything could go back to normal, and she could forget about her strange thoughts concerning Yang.

Weiss's eyes drifted over to the far side of the room. Yang was there, moving the last of the sound equipment into place. She was carrying a massive subwoofer that was bigger than she was. Weiss very deliberately did not marvel at Yang's strength, even if it was impressive.

Yang set the giant speaker down, causing the floor around her to shake. She dusted off her hands and nodded to herself with satisfaction. Then she started walking toward Weiss.

Weiss's eye darted over her immediate vicinity, trying to find something that could get her out of having to talk to Yang. She thought about going for her scroll and pretending to be speaking with someone, but it was too late.

"Looks like we're all ready," Yang said.

"Yes. Everything's in place," Weiss agreed, trying to sound disinterested.

"Only a few hours until things get started," Yang said.

"That's right," Weiss said.

Yang was looking at Weiss expectantly, although Weiss had no idea why. Yang asked, "You sure you're not forgetting something?"

"No. I don't believe so," Weiss said. She'd been over her master checklist several times.

"Oh, I don't know about that," Yang said, her voice suddenly taking on a sultry tone. There was the tiniest, subtlest shift in her posture. All of a sudden, she wasn't just standing there; she was inviting Weiss's eyes to roam over her, daring Weiss to notice the curve of her hip and the swell of her breast. Weiss swallowed hard. She knew Yang wasn't doing this on purpose—Yang was hardly doing anything at all really—but Weiss was still screaming in her head for Yang to stop.

Yang said, "I think you have forgotten something." She slowly sauntered toward Weiss, stopping mere inches from her and said, "I think you've forgotten to ask a certain someone out."

Weiss struggled to focus. It was almost impossible to keep her eyes off of Yang's lips when they were so close, and the room was far too warm all of a sudden. She managed to say, "I…no, I didn't forget."

"Oh yeah?" Yang asked. The anticipation in her voice was palpable.

"I already asked Neptune out," Weiss said. "But he said no."

Yang looked like someone had thrown a bucket of cold water in her face. She took a step back and said, "Neptune?! You asked Neptune out?!"

"Well yes," Weiss said. "Why shouldn't I have? You said so yourself that we get along well."

"But what about me?!" Yang asked.

Weiss was dumbstruck. She couldn't have heard that right. Had Yang somehow known about her deviant fantasies? That was impossible! And why did Yang sound disappointed?

Weiss's confusion only grew when Yang threw up her arms and said, "I mean, I've been trying to seduce you for months!"

"You…but…you're not…" Weiss managed.

"I'm not what? Gay?" Yang asked, sounding miffed.

"Yes! That," Weiss said.

"Are you sure about that?" Yang asked.

"Yes!" Weiss said. "I've seen you…appreciating the male form."

"Well I happen to be pan," Yang said.

"You're what?" Weiss asked.

"Pansexual," Yang said. "You're smart enough to figure out what it means."

"And…you wanted me to ask you out to the dance?" Weiss asked.

" _I_ was going to ask _you_!" Yang said. "But I didn't because I thought you were going to ask me!"

"Why?!" Weiss asked. "Why would you even think that?!"

"Oh please," Yang said. "I've seen the way you look at me."

"That was one time! On accident!" Weiss said.

Yang snickered. "One time, huh? Keep telling yourself that."

Weiss tried to come up with a rebuttal, but all she managed to do was stand there with her mouth agape. She didn't know what to think or to do. Too many bombshells had been dropped on her all at once. She was completely overwhelmed.

"So, Weiss," Yang said. Her tone was soft, shy even.

Weiss looked at Yang. Whatever Yang had done earlier to turn up the heat, she'd stopped. When Weiss looked at Yang now she didn't see a seductress, she didn't see a deviant, she just saw her friend offering her a smile.

Yang asked, "Do you want to go to the dance with me?"

"I…" Weiss said. She took a step back and then another. She didn't want to be in this room anymore.

"Weiss? Are you okay?" Yang asked. "If you don't want—"

Weiss didn't wait for Yang to finish. She turned and ran. Yang called out after her, but Weiss didn't stop. She ran out the door. She ran as fast as she could. She just kept running, trying to escape what was happening. But no matter how far she ran, she couldn't get away from herself.

By the time Weiss had stopped, she was breathing heavily. She bent over and put her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath.

Suddenly, Weiss's scroll buzzed in her pocket. She jumped up and squeaked in alarm. A moment later, an annoyed look crossed her face. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her scroll. A new message notification was flashing on the screen. Weiss stared at it, willing it to go away. Whatever Yang had to say, she didn't want to hear it. However, the notification stubbornly remained.

Weiss's scroll buzzed again, helpfully reminding her that a message was still waiting for her. Weiss sighed. She opened her scroll, intending to delete the message without looking at it, but to her surprise, it wasn't from Yang after all.

 _02-8675:  
This is an automated message from the CCT Network. You have a communications request from JACQUES SCHNEE. Send 1 to schedule a session. Send 2 to be reminded later. Send 3 to ignore. Standard messaging rates apply._

Weiss slowly closed her eyes. Of course Father would want to talk to her on today of all days. It was too much. There was no way she'd be able to pretend that everything was okay in front of him, and if he caught even the slightest hint of what had happened today, he'd have her on an airship back to Atlas before she could blink.

Weiss opened her eyes and hit 3 on her scroll. It was the first time she'd ever directly defied Father, but it was for the best. Ignoring him just this once was far preferable to what would happen if she didn't.

* * *

By the time the evening had rolled around, Weiss had calmed down considerably. Her panic had given way to disappointment, mostly with herself. This whole situation could have been avoided entirely. If she'd just exercised some discipline and self-restraint around Yang, she wouldn't have given Yang such false signals.

The dance was underway, and Weiss had dutifully made an appearance. Even if she didn't have a date, she was still the one who'd planned the event. It would be bad form not to show up. It also would've been a shame if she'd never gotten to wear the dress she'd specifically ordered for tonight. The designer she'd hired had done a fantastic job. The dress was white and sleeveless with a sheer fabric around the neckline. The skirt was just short enough to be daring without being out of style. It was exactly what Weiss had wanted, and she wasn't ashamed to admit that she looked good in it.

Weiss surveyed the dance hall. There were already a number of couples out on the dance floor. Weiss watched some of the women who were moving to the beat of the music and very deliberately did not feel any attraction for them.

"I am not a deviant," Weiss said to herself. "I am not…gay."

Weiss took no small amount of satisfaction in seeing that the dance was going well. The decorations were just as she'd envisioned them, the refreshments were of acceptable quality given the budget, and the DJ had shown up to do his job. There were smiling faces everywhere around the room. It was just a pity that Weiss's wasn't one of them.

More importantly than what Weiss saw, however, was what she didn't see, and that was Yang. If Weiss was lucky, Yang would have the decency not to show up tonight at all, although Weiss knew that wasn't likely.

Suddenly, something caught Weiss's eye, an imperfection that needed to be corrected. One of the flowers that was adorning a nearby table was drooping over in its vase.

Weiss marched over to the offending flower and tried several times to make it stand up straight, but no matter what she did, it refused to stay upright.

"Having trouble?" an amused voice asked Weiss from behind.

Weiss's heart stopped for just a moment. She nearly panicked, thinking that Yang had somehow snuck up behind her. However, she recognized the voice, and it wasn't Yang's.

Weiss forced herself to be calm. She turned around and saw Blake standing there. She said, "I'm quite fine, thank you."

"Looks like everyone's having a good time," Blake said. "I'm sure Coco would be impressed if she were here."

"Thank you," Weiss said.

"Where's your date?" Blake asked.

Weiss bit the inside of her cheek. "I don't have one I'm afraid," she said.

"You don't?" Blake asked, looking surprised.

"No," Weiss said. "I asked Neptune, but he said no."

"You asked…Neptune," Blake said.

"Yes," Weiss said. Her eyes narrowed. "Why do you say it like that?"

"No reason," Blake said, shaking her head. "I just…didn't think you'd be here alone."

"You're not the only one who thought that," Weiss said.

"Well don't feel bad. Ruby doesn't have a date either," Blake said. She gestured over to the far wall.

Weiss looked over to where Blake was indicating. She hadn't seen Ruby yet this evening, and she almost didn't recognize her at first. Ruby was wearing a carmine-colored dress with a black sash around her waist. The dress was masterfully designed with all the hallmarks of being expensive—nowhere near as expensive as Weiss's dress of course, but still expensive. It almost made Ruby look like the adult she'd soon be.

"What a wonderful dress," Weiss said. "How did Ruby afford it?"

"I heard Coco wanted to pay for it," Blake said. "But Yang insisted on buying it herself. Apparently, she's been saving her money all semester for it."

"Of course she has," Weiss muttered. Why wouldn't Yang be anything less than the perfect sister? She'd do anything if it meant annoying Weiss, even demonstrating what a wonderful person she was. Perhaps next she'd feed the hungry and clothe the homeless just to drive the knife in a little deeper.

"I should go check on Sun," Blake said. "He's bound to get into trouble if I leave him alone for too long."

"He undoubtedly will," Weiss said.

Blake walked off, and Weiss found a chair at the edge of the room to sit in. She wondered how long she would need to stay tonight to fulfill her duty as hostess. She knew that Yang would show up eventually, and she'd rather avoid running into her. Maybe she could quietly leave when Yang finally did make an appearance.

Weiss stared off into the distance. She wasn't used to not being the center of attention at a social event, but with all that had happened today, it was actually a relief. No sooner had she thought that, however, than she saw Neptune approaching her.

Neptune was smartly dressed in a suit and bow tie. He walked up to Weiss and gave her his typical winning smile. "Hello, Snow Angel," he said.

"Hello," Weiss said curtly.

"I'm sorry for turning you down the other day," Neptune said. "I didn't want to, but…."

"But what?" Weiss asked.

"You see the truth is…I can't dance," Neptune said.

Weiss almost felt like laughing. "That's a silly reason to say no to me."

"Someone else told me that too. And you know what? You're both right," Neptune said. He held his hand out to Weiss. "I know I'm really late to say this, but yes, I would like to accompany you to the dance. If you still want to go with me."

Weiss looked at Neptune's hand. If she said yes, she would definitely have to stay at the dance all night, and she'd almost certainly run into Yang. But the more Weiss thought about it, the more determined she was to do it. She was Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company and granddaughter of Nicholas Schnee. She didn't run away from her problems; she solved them. Let Yang see her with Neptune. Maybe then Yang would understand that she was wrong about her.

"I would love to," Weiss said. She took Neptune's hand and let him pull her to her feet.

Weiss looked into Neptune's sparkling blue eyes and tried to find something in them, anything that would make her feel the way she wanted to feel.

Weiss asked, "Would you like to learn how to dance?"

"Only if you're going to be my teacher," Neptune said.

Weiss started to lead Neptune out onto the dance floor. That's when she noticed a minor commotion brewing up on the other side of the room. She looked to see what was happening, and what she saw was Yang making her entrance.

Weiss's mouth fell open. A single word slipped out. "No."

Yang was standing there like an angel come down to Remnant. Even from across the room, Weiss could see her as clearly as if they were standing right next to each other. Yang's dress was plain and white and nowhere near as expensive as Ruby's, but it flattered Yang's figure immensely. She'd somehow managed to tame her unruly mane of golden hair, and it was cascading over her shoulders in soft and elegant waves. But most striking of all were her eyes. They were bright shining pools of lavender that spoke volumes. Anyone could see at a glance that they belonged to a caring, loving, passionate soul that lived life to its fullest.

"Oh no, no, no, no," Weiss whispered.

"Is something wrong?" Neptune asked.

What could Weiss say? Standing across the room from her was the most beautiful creature she'd ever seen. There was no denying the longing she felt anymore. She wanted to walk over to Yang, hold her in her arms, and kiss her. Knowing that Yang would let her made Weiss's desire all the greater. Yang was her friend, and Yang was willing to be so much more.

"Weiss? Are you okay?" Neptune asked.

"I'm sorry. I can't do this," Weiss said. She pushed Neptune away and headed for a back door as quickly as she could without drawing attention to herself.

Weiss slipped out into the night. It was dark outside, darker than Weiss thought it should be. She had to strain her eyes to see where she was going. Everything she'd never known she'd wanted was in the dance hall behind her, but she absolutely refused to turn back.

* * *

 _Author's Note:_ _I really couldn't help but appropriate a bit of imagery from the dance scene in the actual show. I mean, come on! Weiss poking a flower (and Georgia O'Keeffe has shown us what those look like) that's refusing to stay straight? I know the actual show didn't intend it in_ that _way, but still!_

 _As always, I welcome constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave a review. And if you like what you've read, taking the time to favorite and/or follow really helps me out. You can also find me on tumblr (electronicyarn) if you want to send me a message or be notified of updates._


	9. A Punch in the Face

**Chapter 9: A Punch in the Face**

Weiss was sitting on her bed in Team RWBY's dorm, alone. Her eyes were red from lack of sleep, and she looked absolutely miserable. Outside, it was a bright and sunny day, and for that very reason, Weiss had tightly drawn the curtains closed. She wanted no part of the sun's cheerfulness right now.

Weiss had actually stayed in bed this morning to a deplorably late hour, despite being wide awake. Pretending to be asleep was the only way she'd known to get her teammates to give her the solitude she'd needed. She'd had no desire to answer any questions from Ruby or Blake about where she'd gone last night, and she certainly hadn't wanted to so much as look at Yang.

Yang had actually stayed behind after Ruby and Blake had left to go do whatever weekend activities they had planned for the day. She'd hovered around the room, presumably waiting for Weiss to wake up. Weiss had held no intentions of humoring Yang, however. She would've pretended to be asleep all day if she'd had to.

Yang had eventually gotten bored of waiting and left. Only then had Weiss finally gotten out of bed. She probably wouldn't have bothered getting dressed, but the need to be presentable at all times had been too deeply ingrained in her to ignore.

At first, Weiss had tried very hard to distract herself from the specter of last night with homework. Her textbooks were still sitting open on the writing desk across the room. When that hadn't worked, she'd tried to clean the room. Unfortunately, her mind had refused to be quiet, and she'd ended up just sitting on her bed, letting her own thoughts silently torment her.

From the moment Weiss had left the dance hall, and all throughout the sleepless night, she hadn't been able to think of anyone or anything else but Yang. It made her want to scream at the top of her lungs. Images of Yang in her beautiful dress teased her. The sound of Yang's warm voice taunted her. Yang's beauty glowed in Weiss's mind like the sun, too bright to look at but too magnificent to turn away from.

Weiss's fist clenched. Sleep deprivation had smothered her emotions in a murky haze for most of the morning, but now the fog was lifting and a seething rage was filling her up. This was all Yang's fault! Yang was the one who'd done this to her! How dare she make her feel this way! She had no right! Who did she think she was anyway?!

Maybe if Yang had shown any hint of remorse, Weiss wouldn't have been so angry, but Yang seemed to revel in her deviancy. Who on Remnant was pretentious enough to call themselves "pansexual"? Clearly Yang lacked the moral character to make a commitment to anything. It didn't even make any sense for her to bother with women if she was attracted to men as well. She'd probably only done all of this just to torment Weiss! It must be her revenge for some petty slight that Weiss had forgotten about.

When Weiss looked back on the past semester, she saw everything in a new and terrible light. She realized now that Yang hadn't been lying about trying to seduce her. She'd been spinning the threads of her insidious web for quite some time. Weiss wouldn't have believed that Yang had the patience for such a lengthy undertaking, but clearly she had.

Weiss understood now that it had all begun that night Yang had comforted her after they'd found Blake. Yang had been trying to open Weiss's mind to new ideas. It was the first, tiny step in corrupting her. Maybe Blake had even been in on it! Everything had spiraled downward from there. The compliments, the support, the touches—all those stupid, indecent, wonderful touches—had all been Yang's way of turning Weiss into something she wasn't!

Weiss raked her fingers through her hair and grabbed her head in frustration. She was being completely irrational, and she knew it. As strangely comforting as the thought was, there was no conspiracy plotting her demise. If she was a homosexual then that was what she was. Yang didn't have the power to make her that way. Although, if not for Yang, she might never have found out.

The anger started draining away from Weiss. She tried desperately to hold onto it. Without her anger, she couldn't keep herself blind to the harsh light of reality. No matter whose fault it was, her life had been changed forever. Father, or anyone else for that matter, could never find out what she was. From this day forward, she would have to pretend to be something she wasn't. It was so contradictory to how Weiss intended to live her life that she didn't even know if she could do it.

The meticulously laid out plans Weiss had made for her future were all coming undone. She'd intended to find a husband with mutually compatible goals within the next five years. How could she do that now? Perhaps she could choose a man whose work would frequently keep him away from home, but that was barely a stopgap solution at best.

Weiss was completely overwhelmed. If felt like her future was slipping right through her fingers. She wished she at least knew what had happened in her childhood to make her this way. There would at least be some solace in knowing how everything had gone so wrong. A heavy sense of dread was closing in around Weiss. She silently prayed for a way out of this situation.

Just then, the door to the dorm room opened, and none other than Yang walked in. She smiled when she saw Weiss and cheerfully said, "Hiya, sleepyhead! Glad you finally decided to get out of bed."

Seeing Yang acting so jovial made Weiss's despair evaporate in an instant. Her anger returned in full force. Here Weiss was, amidst the biggest crisis of her life, and Yang was acting as carefree as ever.

Weiss had been there, pretending to be asleep, when Yang had returned to the dorm last night. Judging by the hour Yang had gotten back, she'd stayed for the whole dance. And even more unbelievably, she'd just gone to bed right away like nothing was wrong. She'd soon been snoring away, lost in a deep, untroubled sleep.

Weiss had been absolutely crushed. The last time she'd been wallowing in uncertainty, Yang had tracked her down and offered her comfort. It was obvious to Weiss that Yang wasn't going to bother with such kindnesses anymore now that she knew Weiss wasn't willing to go along with her deviant ideas about women dating other women. Thinking about it now just made Weiss even madder.

"So, uh…" Yang said, suddenly looking a little embarrassed. "I didn't see you at the dance last night. I hope it wasn't because of me. I just wanted to say sorry for, you know, what happened."

Weiss's jaw clenched and her teeth ground together. Did Yang actually think that apologizing would make everything okay? Her audacity was simply outrageous. Weiss's rage boiled over. This was the last straw. She wanted nothing more right now than to punch Yang in the face, and as luck would have it, circumstances had given her a way to do just that.

"We need to train," Weiss said with forced calm.

"We do?" Yang asked.

"We'll be representing Team RWBY in the doubles round at the Vytal Festival, remember?" Weiss asked.

"Yeah, but that's still a ways away," Yang said.

"It's never too early to start," Weiss said. "You do want to win, don't you?"

"Yeah. Of course," Yang said.

"Then let's go," Weiss said.

* * *

Weiss silently led Yang across campus. They stopped briefly at the locker room to retrieve their weapons and then headed for the arena. Judging by the worried looks Yang was giving Weiss, she knew full well that something was wrong, but she didn't say anything.

Inside the arena, Weiss marched down the hallway that led to the practice rooms. She hadn't reserved time in any of them, but she wasn't going to let a trivial thing like that stop her. She scanned the names posted by the doors until she found two she recognized.

"Uh, Weiss?" Yang asked. "Don't we—"

Weiss ignored Yang. She opened up one of the rooms and barged right in. Ren and Nora were inside, facing off against each other.

Ren's head turned toward Weiss. He started to say something, but before he could speak, Nora's hammer slammed into him, knocking him to the ground.

"Oops," Nora said. "Sorry, Ren! I thought you were ready."

Ren very stoically got back to his feet. He asked Weiss, "What can we do for you?"

"We need the room," Weiss said. "Now."

"I don't believe—" Ren started.

Nora slapped her hand over Ren's mouth. Her eyes darted back and forth between Yang, who had just walked in, and Weiss. "Ren!" she said in a very loud whisper. "It's happening!"

Ren casually moved Nora's hand away from his mouth. "What's happening?" he asked.

"Nothing!" Nora said. "Let's go get some ice cream!"

"But—" Ren said.

"Come on! It's your treat!" Nora said. She started dragging Ren away.

Ren looked very confused, but he let Nora lead him out of the room. Nora gave Yang a very conspicuous wink as she passed, which Yang smiled sheepishly at.

The door to the room closed, leaving Weiss and Yang alone. Weiss walked to the center of the room, drew Myrtenaster, and held it ready. Yang, however, just stood there.

"Weiss, are you sure you're okay?" Yang asked.

"Yes! I'm perfectly fine!" Weiss insisted.

Yang shrugged. "Okay," she said. Her bracelets unfolded over her forearms, and she held up her fists.

Weiss didn't wait to make sure Yang was on her guard. She didn't announce any formal start to the duel. She just lunged forward and struck at Yang.

Yang blocked the blow, looking surprised that it had come with so little warning. Weiss didn't concern herself with any counterattack that might be coming. She just slashed at Yang again and again. Her attacks were sloppy and uncoordinated, and her ordinarily precise footwork was an atrocious mess. Had Professor Goodwitch been present, she would have halted the duel immediately and demanded to know what Weiss was doing. But Weiss didn't care about any of that. Any thought of technique or strategy had been supplanted by raw emotions demanding release.

Yang had a bewildered expression on her face as she blocked Weiss's attacks. It was the first time Weiss had ever seen Yang not give a fight her all. Somehow, that made Weiss even madder. Why couldn't Yang at least have the decency to fight back?

Eventually, Yang threw a halfhearted punch in her own defense. Weiss didn't bother dodging. She wanted Yang to hit her. She needed Yang to hit her. It would be fuel for her anger.

Weiss kept up her furious attack. Every blow that she threw against Yang, every time her blade met Yang's gauntlet, her frustration grew. This was all Yang's fault! She was responsible! She was to blame! Yang just had to take an interest in her! She just had to try to open her up to new possibilities! Why couldn't she leave well enough alone!?

Any pretense of organized combat fell away, and Weiss just started whaling on Yang like a child throwing a temper tantrum. She was hitting so hard that Myrtenaster's blade was in danger of overstressing and snapping in half.

"Weiss! Stop!" Yang shouted.

Weiss didn't stop. She couldn't stop. She had to keep fighting to keep the truth out of her head.

"Weiss!" Yang said. As Weiss raised her sword to strike again, Yang lunged forward and grabbed her hand. Weiss tried to pull away, and the two of them struggled for control.

"Let go of me!" Weiss demanded.

"Weiss! What's—?" Yang said, but she wasn't able to finish. Her feet got tangled up with Weiss's, and they both tumbled to the ground. Myrtenaster was knocked from Weiss's hand and went skittering across the floor.

Weiss landed on top of Yang. She quickly pushed herself up into a sitting position. Yang was beneath her, holding her hands up in surrender and looking extremely concerned.

Weiss stared at Yang. She wanted to see a temptress, a despoiler, a monster, but all she saw was her friend. It was the same friend who'd helped her through difficult times. The friend who'd stuck by her even when she hadn't deserved it. The friend who'd cooked her dinner just because she'd wanted to. The compassion shining in Yang's eyes right now cut Weiss to her very core. She wanted to hate Yang with every fiber of her being, but she couldn't.

A drop of moisture landed on Yang's shoulder. Weiss reached up and touched her cheek, feeling dampness there. She was crying, but that was impossible. She'd trained herself not to. Father became very upset when she showed such obvious signs of weakness.

"Weiss…" Yang said.

The caring in Yang's voice was too much for Weiss. She didn't understand how Yang could feel that way about her. Despite everything that had happened at Beacon, deep down Weiss had never really believed that anyone outside of her family would ever see her as anything other than a means to an end. But Yang didn't. Yang cared for her simply because she did.

Tears flowed freely down Weiss's cheeks, and she stopped trying to hold them back. She stopped trying to pretend that she could be strong all the time. She let herself be vulnerable, and all of a sudden, she felt free.

Weiss gazed at Yang. She knew what she wanted, and she was no longer afraid to reach for it. She leaned forward, drawn like a moth to flame, and kissed Yang on the lips.

Yang stiffened in shock at first, but a moment later, she was kissing Weiss back. It was Weiss's first real kiss. She pressed hard into Yang's soft lips, longing for more. She wanted this moment to last forever. It felt like it might be the most important of her entire life.

Weiss pulled back at last. Her head came to rest on Yang's shoulder as she cried. The dam had burst and years upon years of suppressed emotions poured out.

"Weiss? Are you okay?" Yang asked.

"Shut up and hug me," Weiss said in between sobs.

Yang's arms wrapped around Weiss. She started gently rocking her. There in Yang's arms, Weiss found comfort and safety like she'd never known. The truth had caught up to her, and she wouldn't hide from it any longer. She was Weiss Schnee. She was gay. And she had a crush on Yang Xiao Long.

* * *

 _Author's Note:_ _Finally! You think reading a slow burn fic is torturous? You should try writing one! I have been waiting so long to get to this chapter! Now that Weiss has finally seen the truth, things should get a little lighter around here. At least for a little while. Probably._

 _As always, I welcome constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave a review. And if you like what you've read, taking the time to favorite and/or follow really helps me out. You can also find me on tumblr (electronicyarn) if you want to send me a message or be notified of updates._


	10. Acceptance

**Chapter 10: Acceptance**

The practice room was oddly silent. Weiss was sitting primly on the floor, with her legs tucked neatly beneath her and her hands folded in her lap. Her eyes were soft and unfocused as she stared at nothing in particular. Her cheeks were stained from all the tears she'd shed, but her expression was placid and calm.

Yang was sitting nearby. She was resting her head in her hand and looking at Weiss with a smile that was equal parts consternation and relief. She hadn't said a word since Weiss had commanded her to hug her. She'd just been content to let Weiss's emotions play themselves out. Weiss had often wondered in the past what it would take to buy ten minutes of silence from Yang. She never would've guessed the price would be so steep.

Yang scooted over until she was sitting side by side with Weiss. "Well!" she finally said. "That was intense!"

Weiss didn't say anything. She was so emotionally exhausted right now that all she could feel was numbness. The slight lowering of her eyes was the only indication that she'd heard Yang at all.

"Are you doing okay now?" Yang asked. She put her arm over Weiss's shoulders.

The sensation of Yang's arm around her was enough to start drawing Weiss out of her emotional stupor. Out of sheer habit, she resisted feeling comforted, but it was far too late to pretend that she wasn't. She didn't even want to pretend anymore.

Weiss leaned into Yang and rested her head on Yang's shoulder. She sighed softly when Yang pulled her in even closer.

Weiss said, "I'm gay."

"Yup!" Yang said cheerfully. "You're _really_ gay!"

Weiss grimaced. Unfortunately, it seemed that Yang hadn't developed any tact since yesterday. Weiss said, "I don't find this very funny. I'm…I'm a deviant."

"Okay, no," Yang said. "You need to cut that out."

Weiss sensed that Yang was about to give her another lecture. She tried to pull away, but Yang held her tight.

"Look me in the eye," Yang said.

Slowly, reluctantly, Weiss lifted her head to meet Yang's gaze. Yang's eyes were as intense as Weiss had ever seen them without turning red. They'd never looked more beautiful.

"You are not a deviant," Yang said. "There is nothing wrong with being gay."

"It's unnatural," Weiss said.

"No it's not!" Yang said. "Who even told you that?"

"It's…you don't understand," Weiss said.

"You're right. I don't," Yang said. "What do you think is so wrong about it?"

Weiss couldn't hold Yang's gaze any longer. She pulled away, and this time Yang let her go. She stood and took a few steps to distance herself from Yang. After a moment's silence, she asked, "Does your father know, Yang? About the way you are?"

"Yup," Yang said. She stood up as well. "He was a little confused at first. I think I had to explain what pan meant about five times, but he's cool with it."

Weiss crossed her arms around herself. "Mine wouldn't be," she said.

"I'm sure he'd come around sooner or later," Yang said. "I mean, you're his daughter."

"No!" Weiss said, spinning around. "I'm not just his daughter! I'm his heir! His legacy! I'm not allowed to be imperfect in any way!"

"Well what would he expect from you? It's not like you can change what you feel," Yang said.

"Don't you think I know that?!" Weiss snapped. She let out a frustrated breath and looked down. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be yelling at you."

Yang closed the distance and put her finger on Weiss's chin. She tilted Weiss's head up until their eyes met. Yang gave Weiss a beaming smile and said, "Weiss, you are perfect. Don't let anyone ever tell you that you're not."

Weiss felt like laughing bitterly. Her whole life had been an exercise in living up to impossible standards. She'd constantly been berated for not being good enough. How ironic that now, when she was at her lowest, someone would tell her she was perfect.

"Thank you, Yang," Weiss said softly.

"I mean that," Yang said.

"I know," Weiss said.

Silence settled over the room again, until Weiss asked, "Yang? Would you still have tried to…seduce me if you'd known it would go like this?"

"I knew it was going to be a challenge, but if I'd known all this was going to happen…" Yang said. "I guess I might have gone about it a little differently."

"But you still would have wanted to go to the dance with me?" Weiss asked, amazed.

"Yeah! Of course!" Yang said.

"But why? Why me?" Weiss asked. "Why bother with a woman if you're still attracted to men?"

"It's not about you being a man or a woman. That kind of thing doesn't matter to me," Yang said. "It's about you. I like you."

"Why?" Weiss asked.

"Because you're hot," Yang said.

Weiss scowled at Yang. She wasn't sure if Yang was joking with her or not, but she'd been hoping for a more substantial answer than that.

Yang chuckled. "You're cute when you get all huffy."

"I'm being serious here!" Weiss said.

"Me too," Yang said. She playfully leaned in close to Weiss. "But do you want to know why you're hot?"

Despite herself, Weiss felt a blush color her cheeks. "Do tell," she said sardonically.

To Weiss's surprise, Yang looked serious all of a sudden. Yang said, "Because you're confident. You've always got a plan. You know what you want. Because you fight like the world will end if you don't win and you still manage to look like you're dancing. Because you're fun to be around when you drop the pretense. Because you're a good person. You walked into this school on that first day thinking you knew everything, but you were still willing to admit that you were wrong about Blake, no matter how much it hurt your pride."

Weiss's mouth hung open. She'd been expecting some list of her physical attributes, not what she'd gotten. A profound emotion well up in her. If she wasn't careful, she'd start crying again.

Yang asked, "Want me to go on?"

"No, that's…no," Weiss said. "Do you really mean all that?"

"Every word," Yang said.

"I would never have imagined," Weiss said.

Yang smiled. "Alright. Your turn!"

"What do you mean?" Weiss asked.

"Well it's kind of obvious that you like me," Yang said. "I just wanted to know why. Fair's fair and all."

"I suppose it is," Weiss said. She took a moment to collect her thoughts. She knew the answer to Yang's question. She'd known for some time, even though she hadn't admitted it to herself. She just didn't know if she could make Yang truly understand.

Weiss asked Yang, "What am I to you?"

Yang scratched her head. "Didn't we just go over that?"

"I'm Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company. A symbol. A prize. A gateway to fabulous power and wealth," Weiss said. "And you don't care about any of that! You've never even thought about it, have you."

"Not really," Yang said. "So?"

Weiss gave a resigned laugh. She was right. Yang didn't understand. Weiss wasn't sure she wanted her to. She said, "Do you know how many people have ever sincerely told me that I'm perfect?"

"I'm sure lots of people have," Yang said.

"No one except you," Weiss said.

"What?" Yang asked, looking upset. "But…what about your mom and dad?"

"No one," Weiss repeated. "Just like no one's ever offered me such unconditional friendship and support. It's been…you've been wonderful."

"Awww. Come here," Yang said. She held out her arms for Weiss, offering a hug.

Weiss stepped forward and let Yang's arms wrap around her. Yang was so warm and soft, yet Weiss could feel Yang's strength lingering just below the surface, waiting to be unleashed. It was a heady contrast, more potent than any wine or tonic. Weiss sighed with complete contentment. It was hard to believe, but there was something there in Yang's arms that all the riches in the world couldn't buy.

Yang eventually let Weiss go. They both stood there, smiling at each other in silence. Weiss's eyes began to roam over Yang's body. Now that she could look without shame, she found herself entranced like never before.

"You're so beautiful," Weiss whispered.

Yang grinned and gave Weiss a thumbs-up. "You know it!"

Weiss's eyes snapped back up to Yang's, and she blushed a deep red. She hadn't actually meant to say that out loud. Yang certainly wasn't shy about her looks. In fact, Weiss would go so far as to call her arrogant. It was baffling how such arrogance could be attractive.

"Welp," Yang said, stretching her arms up over her head. "We should probably get out of here."

"I agree," Weiss said. She had no idea how long Ren and Nora had reserved the room for. It was fortunate that no one else had come to claim it.

Yang walked over to where Myrtenaster had come to a rest and picked it up off the floor. She handed it to Weiss. "Don't forget this."

"Thank you," Weiss said. She took her sword and clipped it back onto her waist.

Yang started walking for the door, but then she stopped. She turned to Weiss and said, "Hey Weiss! You want to go on a date sometime?"

"I…!" Weiss stammered, caught off guard. How could Yang ask her something like that just out of the blue? It was so informal and unromantic. However, Weiss found herself saying, "I do. But…."

"But?" Yang asked.

"This has all been so sudden. I'm not sure if I'm ready for something like that," Weiss said. "Maybe we could just go somewhere and do something as friends instead."

"What do you think a date is, silly?" Yang asked. "Besides, we've already sort of been on one."

"We have?" Weiss asked.

"Remember when I made you dinner? I thought of that as a kind-of date," Yang said.

"It…could be interpreted that way," Weiss said.

"I could tell how badly you wanted to kiss me," Yang said.

"What?! I wanted nothing of the sort!" Weiss said.

"If you say so." Yang shrugged. "But you were sure staring at my lips a lot."

Weiss had almost forgotten about that. She hadn't understood at the time, but in hindsight, Yang was probably right.

Weiss asked, "You noticed?"

Yang gave Weiss a wink. She said, "And don't forget a little while ago when you actually were kissing me."

"You've made your point!" Weiss said. Her cheeks were burning bright red again. She cleared her throat, stood up straight, and said, "Yes, Yang Xiao Long. I would like to go on a date with you."

"Yes!" Yang said, pumping her fist. She gave an exaggerated imitation of a formal bow. "Miss Weiss is only too kind to accept."

Yang unexpectedly took Weiss's hand and planted a kiss on it. Weiss felt her cheeks redden yet again. She really needed to get a handle on her blushing, but it was hard to concentrate when her stomach felt like it was filled with butterflies.

* * *

The walk back across campus was more difficult than Weiss had anticipated. She wasn't just walking; she was walking with Yang. She had to fight off the urge to take Yang's hand.

Yang, for her part, seemed to be having no problem acting like everything was normal. The only hint she was giving away that something momentous had happened was that her ever-present grin was slightly wider than usual. Weiss was jealous.

After a brief stop at the locker room to drop off their weapons, Weiss and Yang made it back to Team RWBY's dorm. Weiss was more than ready for some peace and quiet, but when she and Yang stepped into the room, they were greeted with a, "There you are!"

Ruby was standing in the middle of the room. She had one hand on her hip and the other pointing at Weiss. Blake was there too in her usual spot on her bed, peeking out from behind a book. Weiss didn't know why she was surprised to see the two of them. This was their room too after all.

Ruby asked, "Are you okay, Weiss? I was worried about you. You don't usually sleep in so late."

"I'm fine," Weiss said. "Last night was just…exhausting."

"Oh yeah, the dance!" Ruby said. "Neptune said you left early looking really upset."

Weiss realized that she would have to apologize to Neptune at some point; even if she couldn't explain to him what had happened. She said, "It was just a misunderstanding. Everything is fine now."

Yang chimed in, "I'll say it is."

Weiss shot Yang a look. Suddenly, she realized that Yang had no idea that everything that had happened today needed to be an absolute secret. Why hadn't she thought to warn Yang?

Weiss nearly panicked when Blake asked, "What have you two been up to?"

"Oh ho, ho," Yang said. "We've been—"

Weiss elbowed Yang hard, knocking the air out of her lungs. She hastily said, "Training! We've been training for the Vytal Festival!"

"Yeah," Yang wheezed. "Training."

Blake looked suspiciously at Weiss and Yang for a moment. Then she turned back to her book and mumbled, "Finally."

"Finally?" Weiss asked. "What do you mean finally?"

Blake didn't look up. She just said, "I mean that you two have finally started 'training'."

Weiss could practically hear the quotation marks around the word training. She didn't like what that implied, but it was too dangerous to question Blake further. She said, "If everyone is satisfied, I am unacceptably far behind schedule on my homework for this weekend."

Ruby said, "Just as long as you're feeling alright."

"I am. Thank you," Weiss said.

Weiss walked over to the writing desk and sat down. Her neglected textbooks were still sitting there, waiting for her. It was bizarre settling down into her routine again after this week had turned her world so completely on its head, but she could use some normalcy right about now.

Weiss's scroll buzzed in her pocket. She absently pulled it out, opened it up, and glanced at the screen.

 _Yang Xiao Long:  
Nxt weekend u+me *heart*_

Weiss casually closed her scroll and slipped it back into her pocket like nothing unusual had happened, but a dopey smile had pasted itself on her face. She resigned herself to the fact that it was going to be difficult to concentrate this week.

* * *

That night when Weiss went to bed, she fell asleep immediately. Never before in her life had she slept so blissfully.

* * *

 _Author's Note:_ _So can I finally stop using the word deviant, Weiss? I felt dirty every time I had to write it._

 _As always, I welcome constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave a review. And if you like what you've read, taking the time to favorite and/or follow really helps me out. You can also find me on tumblr (electronicyarn) if you want to send me a message or be notified of updates._


	11. Soaring into the Sky

**Chapter 11: Soaring into the Sky**

This week, without a doubt, had been the longest of Weiss's life. Classes had seemed to drag on forever, and keeping to her usual study routine had been difficult. However despite the agonizing wait, Weiss was grateful that Yang hadn't immediately whisked her away on a date last weekend. It had given Weiss time to think carefully, free from the heat of the moment, and Weiss had indeed done a great deal of thinking this week.

First and foremost on Weiss's mind had been one all-important question: was going on a date with Yang really what she wanted? Even though Weiss was no longer denying her feelings, she knew that following the whims of the heart didn't necessarily lead to what was best. Weiss was keenly aware there were many, many reasons why going on a date with Yang was a bad idea. She'd invented all manner of excuses this week to give to Yang that would allow her to back out of their date semi-gracefully.

However, not going on a date with Yang wouldn't make Weiss any less attracted to her, and here at Beacon, she was an ocean away from Father. When else would she get a chance to do something like this in relative safety? This was an opportunity to get a better understanding of herself, and wasn't that one of the things she'd specifically come to Beacon to do?

Logical reasons aside, Weiss really did want to go on a date with Yang. It had been a long time since she'd been so excited about something. Yang was just so much fun, so passionate, and so understanding. Weiss didn't know what kind of future there was with Yang. If she was perfectly honest with herself, there probably wasn't any. But perhaps it would be okay just this once to let the future come on its own without trying to plan for every contingency.

Weiss wasn't the type of person to do things halfway. She decided that if she was going to date Yang, it was going to be a serious endeavor, not some quick fling. But no sooner had she made up her mind to do it then she'd hit a snag. She had absolutely no idea how to actually go about dating Yang.

At first Weiss had tried to think about what she would have done if Yang were a man. Unfortunately, her experience in the matter was severely lacking, although she had been on a few dates before. Back when she was sixteen, Father had arranged for a boy who was the heir to Atlas's largest shipping company to court her. Father and the boy's parents had designed to use their children to unite the two families in a grand business alliance.

Unfortunately, Weiss had found the boy to be incredibly pedantic, and their dates had been unbearably dull. When it had become obvious that Weiss wasn't going to play along, Father had called off the whole affair. He'd been extremely disappointed.

Weiss was determined that any date she went on with Yang would not be another dismal failure. She'd fretted for days trying to plan out what to do, but by the end of the week she had yet to come up with a single good idea. Weiss had gone to bed the night before her supposed date all but certain that her relationship with Yang was over before it had even begun.

* * *

Weiss woke up the next morning to find Yang gone. She was confused at first, but then she noticed her scroll lying very prominently on the pillow next to her. Someone had left it there for her to find. She immediately opened it up and saw a message waiting for her.

 _Yang Xiao Long:  
Morning qt *heart* meet me in commons 10 for u no what :3_

It amazed Weiss how such a simple and, quite frankly, poorly constructed message could make her feel so relieved and excited. She should've known that she hadn't needed to plan a date; Yang had already taken care of that.

Weiss spent the next few hours agonizing over what to wear. It wouldn't do to show up for her first proper date with Yang wearing her typical outfit. She wanted to wear something special, but at the same time, she didn't want to appear overeager. Her outfit needed to show Yang that she cared to make an effort, but also not make it obvious to an outside observer that they were on a date. It might have been easier to pick something out if Weiss had known what Yang was going to be wearing.

Weiss went through every single article of clothing she'd brought with her to Beacon, which was a considerable amount. She even thought about purchasing something new for the occasion, but sadly, there wasn't time for that.

Eventually, Weiss settled on a white sundress with a floral print. It was dressy without being too dressy, and the empire waist and short skirt made her legs look incredible if she did say so herself. Some strappy sandals and a silver necklace with a teardrop-shaped charm completed the ensemble. Yang was sure to love it.

Weiss arrived at Beacon's commons at precisely ten o'clock. Yang wasn't there, but Weiss was hardly surprised. She'd come to accept that Yang was incapable of being on time.

Weiss waited patiently for Yang, at least as patiently as she could. The thought that she was about to go on a date with Yang kept echoing over and over again in her head. The amount of joy the idea filled her with was downright silly. However, her joy was tempered by all the doubts that were bombarding her. What if she said the wrong thing to Yang? What if Yang didn't like her outfit? What if Father somehow found out? Weiss felt like she might explode at any minute, either from anxiety or exhilaration. Yang had better hurry up and get there.

Weiss pulled out her scroll and looked at Yang's message again. She read over the words, letting them remind her that this was really happening and that Yang wanted to make it work just as much as she did.

Suddenly, the sound of a roaring engine cut through the air. Weiss turned her head and saw Yang driving up on her motorcycle. Yang pulled up right in front of Weiss and shut off the engine. She tipped her sunglasses down and said, "Hey there, hot stuff. Need a ride?"

Yang was wearing an outfit that Weiss hadn't seen before. She had on a long-sleeved, tan motorcycle jacket made of leather, a yellow shirt, and her orange scarf. She was also wearing a tight pair of worn and faded jeans and her regular boots. Weiss would've never considered an outfit like that date-worthy, but somehow Yang was making it work. In fact, she was disgustingly, distractingly good-looking in it.

Weiss worried for a moment that she'd overdressed for the occasion. However, when she noticed Yang's eyes get stuck roaming over her legs, she decided that she'd chosen well after all.

"It's good to see you this morning," Weiss said, trying to play it cool. "Are we taking a motorcycle tour of campus?"

"Nope!" Yang said. "We're going into Vale."

"Wouldn't taking the air ferry be more convenient?" Weiss asked.

Yang grinned slyly. She asked, "Have you ever ridden on a motorcycle before?"

"Not precisely, no," Weiss said.

"Trust me. This'll be way more fun than the ferry," Yang said.

"If you say so," Weiss said.

Yang took off her helmet and tossed it to Weiss. "Here, catch!" she said.

Weiss managed to grab the helmet out of the air. "What's this for?" she asked.

"You put it on your head, silly," Yang said.

"I know that!" Weiss said. "But what about you?"

"I've only got the one, so you get it," Yang said. "I insist."

Weiss wanted to protest, but she knew it was pointless to argue with Yang once she'd made up her mind. "Very well," she said. She gingerly put the helmet on her head, hoping that it wouldn't muss up her hair too badly. "But if we're going to continue to ride your motorcycle in the future, we'll have to get a second helmet."

Yang chuckled. "This date hasn't even started and you're already talking about the next one? I didn't know I was that good."

Weiss tried not to smile. She said, "Don't flatter yourself."

"Oooh. Feisty. I like it," Yang said. She held out her hand. "Are you ready to go, Miss Weiss?"

Something about the moment gave Weiss pause. Up until now, nothing had happened that couldn't ultimately be dismissed, correctly or otherwise, as a flight of foolish fancy. But the moment Weiss sat down on Yang's motorcycle, she would be purposefully and intentionally on a date with Yang. Even after a whole week of mulling the idea over, Weiss found that she wasn't quite prepared for the decision.

Weiss looked at Yang and let Yang's warm smile be the beacon that guided her that one last step. She took Yang's hand and said, "I'm ready."

Yang helped Weiss onto the seat behind her. Weiss was glad she'd decided to wear a dress with a short skirt. She wouldn't know how to sit on a motorcycle in a long one. She put her hands daintily on Yang's shoulders so as not to give any passersby the wrong impression.

"Hold on tight!" Yang said. She started the engine and gunned the throttle.

Weiss squeaked in alarm as the motorcycle took off like a rocket. Her arms wrapped tightly around Yang as she held on for dear life.

Just when Weiss felt like she was no longer in danger of being flung off the motorcycle, Yang banked hard into a turn. Weiss pressed tightly into Yang's back and squeezed her eyes shut.

"You doing okay back there?!" Yang shouted.

"What is wrong with you!?" Weiss shouted back.

Weiss felt Yang laugh, even if she couldn't hear it over the rush of air. She would bet almost anything that Yang had a massive grin on her face right now.

Eventually, the motorcycle reached the long, straight road that led from Beacon to Vale. Weiss loosened her white-knuckle grip just a little and opened her eyes. Even with the warm summer weather, the wind whipping past Weiss made her shiver. She snuggled in closer to Yang for warmth.

As Weiss's fear slowly subsided, she realized that she was clinging to Yang in a manner that would be highly inappropriate even if Yang were a man. Amazingly however, the circumstances made such a display acceptable. No one would begrudge Weiss for clinging to the only handhold available in an attempt to survive Yang's reckless driving. Weiss was certain that Yang had taken that into account when she'd decided to ride her bike into Vale rather than take the ferry.

Weiss wasn't sure if she should be annoyed or impressed with Yang's craftiness. Either way, she decided not to pass up this opportunity. She pressed up against Yang a little tighter. She could feel the softness of Yang's skin, even through her leather jacket. The fact that they were in public, made the sensation all the more exhilarating.

Vale loomed ahead, and Weiss knew that it signaled an end to her reprieve. At least this time she was somewhat prepared. When Yang took the next turn, Weiss leaned into it with her. Now that she wasn't terrified out of her mind, she was starting to understand the appeal of riding a motorcycle. There was a certain thrill to it, even if it was foolishly dangerous. Weiss felt herself smiling despite her good sense.

Yang wound her way into the heart of downtown Vale and ultimately came to a stop in a parking lot located in Vale's commercial district.

Yang shut off her bike. She patted Weiss's hands that were still wrapped around her abdomen and said, "You can let go, Weissy. We're here."

Weiss released her grip on Yang, trying her best to disguise her reluctance. She got off the bike, removed her helmet, and left it hanging off the seat.

While Weiss teased her hair back into order, Yang took off her sunglasses and slid then into her jacket pocket. She got off the bike and winked at Weiss. "See? Wasn't that better than taking the ferry?"

"I suppose," Weiss said. She didn't want to admit that Yang was right. Yang engaged in quite enough reckless behavior already without Weiss encouraging it.

"You seemed to be getting into it," Yang said.

"When I wasn't in fear for my life," Weiss said.

"Pff," Yang said. "We made it here in one piece."

"This time," Weiss said. "But that does beg the question. What exactly are we doing here?"

"Getting lunch!" Yang said.

"Did you make reservations somewhere?" Weiss asked.

"Nope," Yang said. "I figured we'd just walk until we found someplace that looked good."

Weiss was still amazed by how spontaneously Yang lived her life. She would never have planned a date with so much left to chance, but Yang had been the one to ask her out not the other way around. If spontaneity was the order of the day, Weiss would go along with it.

"Lead on then," Weiss said.

* * *

Weiss and Yang had eventually settled on an outdoor café for lunch. They'd eaten sandwiches at a tiny table just big enough for two. Yang had spent most of the time talking about nothing in particular, and Weiss had listened intently. She'd even caught herself a few times giving Yang a doe-eyed look when she'd been particularly engrossed in what Yang had been saying.

Weiss and Yang had already finished eating, but neither of them were in any hurry to leave. The weather and the company were far too pleasant. Yang was in the middle of regaling Weiss with a story about Ruby back from when she'd only been six years old. Had Ruby been there, her face probably would've been redder than her cloak.

Yang continued, "And so Ruby's standing there in the middle of the living room, covered from head to toe in mud. There's muddy footprints everywhere. And that's when Dad walks in!"

"Oh no!" Weiss said. "What did your father do?"

"His mouth just kind of hung open. I don't think he really knew what to think," Yang said. "So Ruby looks right at him, beaming with pride, and says, 'Don't worry, Daddy! I didn't eat any cookies, just like you asked!'"

Weiss burst out laughing. It wasn't something she did often as such displays were supposed to be beneath her, but it felt so good that she didn't care.

Yang smiled, taking pride in Weiss's amusement. When Weiss had finished laughing, Yang asked, "So how about you?"

"What do you mean?" Weiss asked.

"Any family?" Yang asked. "Besides, you know, your father."

"I have plenty. The Schnee Family is the most prominent in all of Atlas," Weiss said. "But if you mean my immediate family, I have a sister and a brother."

"Any good stories about them?" Yang asked.

Weiss thought about it for a moment. Winter had been the perfect prim and proper lady for as long as Weiss could remember, and she didn't want to sully the day by thinking about Whitley, so she said, "None worth repeating."

The mention of family made Weiss realize something. There was absolutely no doubt what Father and the rest of her family would think about her dating Yang, but she wasn't so sure about Winter. Winter's years of service in the Atlesian military had taken her far beyond the social cocoon that the rest of the Family lived in. Surely, she'd been exposed to many new ideas and lifestyles. Would she be understanding of Weiss's relationship with Yang, or would she look upon it with disgust?

Weiss supposed the question was moot. No one, not even Winter could find out about her and Yang. Somehow the thought of keeping her new relationship secret from Winter was even more depressing than the thought of Winter disapproving.

"Hey, are you okay?" Yang asked.

Weiss wanted to say that she was fine and leave it at that, but she realized that she couldn't. Yang had obviously figured out that she wasn't supposed to talk about their date from the not-so-subtle jab to the gut that Weiss had given her, and she hadn't said anything about it to anyone. Weiss had been pleasantly surprised by Yang's discretion. But Weiss knew she was playing a dangerous game by not explicitly spelling things out for Yang.

"There's something we need to discuss," Weiss said. "I'm sorry. I should have talked to you about this days ago. If we're going to do this, no one can find out about it. Ever." Weiss felt very foolish for not having discussed this sooner. She'd meant to, but she hadn't been able to bring herself to do it.

Yang scratched the back of her head. She said, "I guess I kind of already knew that."

"You did?" Weiss asked.

"I don't really get it though," Yang said. "I mean, I know you said your dad wouldn't be happy about this."

"That's putting it mildly," Weiss said.

"But what about Ruby and Blake?" Yang asked.

"Not even them," Weiss said. "The fewer people who know, the safer it will be."

"They're going to figure it out sooner or later," Yang said.

"Not if we're careful," Weiss said. "And we'll always have to be careful, especially when we're in public. We can't do anything that might give us away."

"Anything? What about something like holding hands?" Yang asked.

"Not even that," Weiss said.

"Come on, Weiss!" Yang said. "Your dad's in Atlas! Us holding hands isn't going to make the world news."

"It might. I'm sorry, I know this isn't fair. If you…" Weiss had to swallow to keep herself from choking up. "If you want to call things off right now, I'll understand."

Weiss's hands involuntarily clenched into fists. She held her breath, terrified of what Yang's decision would be.

Yang didn't even need time to think about it. She said, "No way I'm calling this off. We're not even done with this date yet!"

Relief washed over Weiss. "Thank you," she breathed.

"It'll just have to be our little secret," Yang said.

"There's…" Weiss stammered. She was trying to keep herself from crying. "There's hardly anything little about it. If Father finds out…."

"I know," Yang said. She reached over and wiped off a single tear that had escaped the corner of Weiss's eye.

Weiss wanted to scold Yang. They couldn't afford to indulge in such displays of affection in public, but she decided not to say anything about it just this once.

"So…you want to get out of here and do something fun?" Yang asked.

"That would be delightful," Weiss said.

Weiss and Yang got up from their table and left the café. They walked for a while without saying much of anything. Weiss found it strange that the lull in the conversation didn't feel awkward, but she was perfectly content with the silence. In fact, she felt like she would be satisfied even if they weren't doing anything at all. Just knowing that she and Yang were together, in a very real sense of the word, was more than enough.

Weiss stole a glance at Yang's hand. Despite what she and Yang had just discussed, she really wanted to hold it. She silently cursed the circumstances that forced her to be so cautious. And here she'd been worried about Yang being the one to slip up in public.

Out of the blue, Weiss said, "I saw you at the dance, you know." She had no idea why she'd felt like telling Yang that. The words had just slipped out of her mouth.

Yang said, "Wait. You did?"

"Yes. You were so…beautiful. That was why…" Weiss trailed off. She couldn't say more, not in public.

"Weiss…" Yang said. Her hand came up, but at the last minute, she remembered herself and lowered it.

"Ruby, uh, Ruby looked lovely as well," Weiss said, trying to shift the topic to something less emotional. "Blake said you purchased her dress for her."

"Oh, yeah," Yang said. "Me and Coco had a lot of fun picking it out."

"I've never seen you and Coco together," Weiss said. "When did you two become friends?"

"We have study hall together," Yang said. "We talk fashion. I don't know if you've ever seen her or not, but she's got a great sense of style."

Weiss had never pegged Yang as a fashionista, but then again, Yang had known the brand and price of her bolero jacket. Weiss asked, "If you enjoy fashion so much, why don't you dress more…um…?"

"Fashionable?" Yang supplied.

"I wouldn't phrase it quite that way," Weiss said.

"It'd be fun, but it's way too expensive," Yang said waving her hand dismissively. "Besides, I don't need fancy clothes to look smoking hot."

"And you're so modest too," Weiss quipped.

"I can't help it if it's true," Yang said.

Weiss couldn't resist smiling at little. Suddenly, an idea came to her. "I think I just figured out what we can do today," she said.

"Oh yeah?" Yang asked.

"Yes. Follow me," Weiss said. If she remembered correctly, there was a boutique not too far away that would suit her purposes.

"Where are we going?" Yang asked as she followed Weiss down the sidewalk.

"You'll see soon enough," Weiss said.

"Oooh. Mysterious," Yang said.

Weiss was surprised she'd been the one to think of something to do first. Maybe she could be spontaneous after all. She wasn't sure that Yang would enjoy what she had in mind, but she still felt giddy at the possibility. She led Yang to the fanciest part of Vale's shopping district. They walked past rows of specialty stores that catered to a very exclusive clientele and stopped in front of a fashion retailer by the name of Giallo. Weiss had never set foot in this particular store before, but several items in her wardrobe bore their label.

"This is what you want to do?" Yang asked, slightly wide-eyed.

"You like fashion," Weiss said. "I thought it might be fun for you to experience shopping here. We don't have to if you don't want to."

"Oh, I want to. It'd be awesome!" Yang said. She looked down at her worn jeans. "I just don't think they'd let me in."

Weiss smirked at Yang. She took her by the arm and led her through the doors.

Inside the boutique an impeccably dressed attendant was standing ready. He eyed Weiss and Yang, especially Yang, as they walked in. "Pardon me, madams," he said in an affected Atlesian accent. "But we require all our patrons to make an appointment in advance."

"I think you'll find I have one," Weiss said.

The attendant clearly didn't believe Weiss, but he dutifully asked, "And what is madam's name?"

"Weiss Schnee," Weiss said. She didn't bother disguising the smugness in her voice. It might have hurt her claim if she had.

The attended took a moment to process what Weiss had said. Then he did a double-take as he matched her face to the name. "Ah! Miss Schnee! Yes I do believe you and your companion are on our list." He waved, and a young man who'd been waiting just out of sight came over. "Lars here will take you to our showroom."

"Thank you," Weiss said with a polite nod.

Lars bowed and said, "Right this way, madams."

Lars led Weiss and Yang to one of the boutique's private showrooms. It was sparsely decorated so as not to be distracting. There were two chairs at one end with a small table between them. On the table a large scroll was propped up on a stand.

"Please, have a seat," Lars said, gesturing to the chairs. "Would madams care for anything to drink?"

"Mineral water will be fine," Weiss said.

"Very good," Lars said. "Please feel free to browse. I will return shortly."

Weiss took a seat as Lars left. Yang, however, just stood there. She looked like she was about to burst from excitement.

"This. Is so. Cool!" Yang said, jumping up and down. "Did you really have an appointment?"

"No," Weiss admitted.

"And they still let us in!" Yang said. "You're the best girlfriend ever!"

Weiss's heart skipped a beat. "I…" she stammered. "I wouldn't say that we're girlfriends just yet."

"We're sort of on our second date," Yang said. "I'm pretty sure we're going to go on another. What would you call us?"

The revelation hit Weiss like a charging goliath. "We are girlfriends!" she exclaimed. It was a good thing she was sitting. She might have fallen over otherwise.

"I know!" Yang said. "Isn't it awesome?"

"Yes. It is," Weiss said absently. She looked up at Yang. A dreamy look crossed her face as she got lost in Yang's eyes for a moment.

Weiss shook her head clear. She didn't want to get caught by Lars doing something inappropriate. "Why don't you take a seat?" she asked Yang.

Yang sat down while Weiss picked up the scroll. The boutique's catalog was on its screen, and Weiss started looking through the selection.

"So how exactly are we supposed to shop here?" Yang asked. "I don't see any clothes."

"We tell them what we would like to see, and they'll have it modeled for us," Weiss explained.

"Really?" Yang asked. "Like with real, live models?"

"Of course," Weiss said.

"This is so cool," Yang whispered.

Lars came back in, pushing a cart that had a bottle of mineral water, two empty glasses, and a bucket of ice on it. He wheeled up to the table and prepared two drinks.

"Would madams like more time to browse?" Lars asked.

"That won't be necessary," Weiss said, handing the scroll to him. "We're ready."

"Very good," Lars said. He took the scroll from Weiss and left the room again with his cart.

"Did you find anything good?" Yang asked.

"That will be for you to decide," Weiss said. "Everything I selected is in your colors. I want you to pick out something you think you'll look good in."

"Awesome!" Yang said.

Yang grabbed a glass off the table and took a sip of mineral water. She grimaced slightly as she swallowed.

"I can ask them to bring us something else," Weiss said.

"Oh no," Yang said, taking another sip. "I want the real Giallo experience, fancy water and all."

A few minutes later, Lars returned with the scroll tucked into the crook of his arm. He was accompanied by a half dozen models dressed in various formal outfits from evening gowns to more casual wear.

Weiss and Yang were treated to a miniature fashion show as the models took turns making the boutique's brand look as stylish as possible. Weiss, however, was paying far more attention to Yang than to the show. Yang certainly seemed to be enjoying herself. Weiss had to fight back a tiny pang of jealousy as Yang's eyes happily took in what they were seeing.

"Well, what do you think?" Weiss asked.

"I think you have good taste," Yang said. She scratched her chin as she looked the selection over and then pointed. "I want to try on that one," she said.

The model Yang was pointing at was wearing a yellow business jacket with a fun cut and three-quarter sleeves. Underneath, she had on matching earth-toned slacks and a sleeveless blouse. All of it was made of the finest silken fabrics. Weiss had been secretly hoping Yang would pick that one. She thought that Yang would look quite fetching in it.

Lars asked, "Shall I show madam to the dressing rooms?"

"Yes," Weiss said. "Leave the scroll with me. We'll be making more selections today."

"Very good," Lars said. He handed to scroll to Weiss and turned to Yang. "Right this way, please."

"Uh…" Yang said, looking at Weiss. "Don't they need to know my size?"

"Don't worry," Weiss said. "It's their job to already know."

"Nice," Yang said. She got up and followed Lars as he and all the models left the room.

Weiss found herself alone. She set the scroll back in its stand. Now that she had a moment to think, she couldn't believe how much fun she was having. She'd never disliked expanding her wardrobe, but it had always been more of a necessity than a joy. It was delightful how Yang made everything so much more fun.

A few minutes later, Yang came back into the room in her new outfit. "Well, what do you think?" she asked, spinning around.

Weiss's mouth went dry. She'd been wrong. Fetching was far too mild a word to describe what she saw. Yang was handsome, stunning, sexy even.

Weiss forced herself to concentrate. She stood and walked around Yang, examining the outfit with a critical eye. She tugged on it in a few places and said, "We'll have to get it tailored, but once that's done, I don't think anyone in their right mind will be able to keep their eyes off of you."

"Wait, tailored?" Yang asked. "You mean we're actually going to buy this?!"

"Of course," Weiss said. "What did you think we were doing here?"

"I thought we were just having fun," Yang said.

"We are," Weiss said. "This will be my gift to you."

To Weiss's surprise, Yang looked dismayed. Yang said, "Weiss, this has to cost more than…I'll never even get a chance to wear it."

"There's no need to worry about the cost," Weiss said. "And I'm sure there will be an opportunity to wear it in the future."

"It's just…I don't think I can accept this," Yang said.

"Why not?" Weiss asked.

"Me and Ruby and Dad. We don't have a lot, but we get by just fine," Yang said. "I like you, Weiss. A lot. You don't need to bribe me."

"Bribe you? Is that what you think I'm doing?" Weiss asked, sounding upset.

"No!" Yang said. "That came out wrong. What I'm saying is, Dad taught me and Ruby how to be self-reliant, you know?"

"I understand what you mean," Weiss said. "I worked very hard to get my scholarship to Beacon. I didn't want my accomplishments to be built on my family's wealth. But I just want to do something nice for you. You've been so good to me. I need to express my gratitude somehow."

"Aw, Weissy," Yang said. She took Weiss in her arms and gave her a hug.

Weiss hadn't been expecting Yang to hug her, but she was glad that she had. The feeling of the silken fabric over Yang's skin was delightfully decadent. Weiss ran her fingers lightly across Yang's blouse and said, "Or maybe, I'm being entirely selfish, and I just wanted to see you in this outfit."

Yang laughed. She playfully pushed Weiss away, and said, "Alright. You've convinced me. Just don't tell me the price."

"Agreed," Weiss said. She walked over to the table and picked up the scroll. She held it out to Yang and said, "Now you select something for me."

Yang's eyes lit up. She snatched the scroll out of Weiss's hand and started enthusiastically swiping through its contents.

Weiss reached down for her mineral water. She was mid sip when Yang asked, "Do you think they sell bikinis here?"

Weiss sputtered as she choked down her water. "Yang!" she scolded while trying, and failing, not to blush. "Pick something formal! I have plans for the future."

"Oooh. I like the sound of that," Yang said.

* * *

Weiss twirled around in the dress that Yang had picked out for her. She had to admit, she was impressed with Yang's good taste. The dress was a striking azure color and trimmed in a fine, silver thread. It had a scalloped neckline, short sleeves, and an ankle length skirt that was slit up to the knee.

Weiss was incredibly pleased with the dress, and judging by Yang's expression, so was she.

Yang asked, "So how long do you think they'll let us have the room?"

"As long as we like," Weiss said. "I imagine they'll be advertising the fact that Weiss Schnee was among their patrons for months. Why do you ask?"

"Well," Yang said, looking a little embarrassed. "I've been kind of bummed out that we never got to dance together last weekend."

A smile slowly spread across Weiss's face. Without a word, she walked over to the table where the boutique's scroll was lying. She fiddled with it for a moment until soft music, suitable for dancing, started playing from it.

Yang slowly approached Weiss with a twinkle in her eye. Her lips drifted closer and closer to Weiss's until they met in a kiss.

Weiss's eyes fluttered closed. This kiss was very different from the hungry, desperate one they'd shared last week in the practice room. It was slow and sweet and it made Weiss ache with its tenderness. Weiss wanted more. She opened her mouth and let Yang deepen the kiss.

All too soon, Yang pulled back and her and Weiss's lips gently parted. Weiss opened her eyes. Her hands found Yang's, and soon they were swaying to the steady rhythm of the music.

Memories came drifting back to Weiss as she recalled her idle fantasy about dancing with Yang. She would never know what she'd done to deserve this, but she felt incredibly blessed. How many people ever got to live out their dreams?

Weiss still didn't know what the future held, but right now that didn't seem important. What was important was that here and now she was truly happy like she'd never been before.

* * *

 _Author's Note:_ _Wow this chapter was a monster! It's about twice as long as a typical one for me. That's the reason it took so long to get out, but hopefully it was worth the wait._

 _Weiss's sundress is loosely based on a half-remembered piece of fanart drawn by the venerable dashingicecream. Check her out on tumblr if you have the time!_

 _As always, I welcome constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave a review. And if you like what you've read, taking the time to favorite and/or follow really helps me out. You can also find me on tumblr (electronicyarn) if you want to send me a message or be notified of updates._


	12. A Conspiracy of Girlfriends

**Chapter 12: A Conspiracy of Girlfriends**

Weiss had never realized how difficult privacy was to come by at Beacon, especially when you had a secret girlfriend that you wanted to spend time with. The dorm room wasn't safe since Ruby or Blake could always show up unexpectedly, and time in the arena's practice rooms was hard to come by for first-year student.

Weiss and Yang had taken to heading into downtown Vale after classes were over and visiting one of the numerous trendy coffee shops there. It wasn't an ideal solution, but the piped-in music and noisy chatter of a busy afternoon was enough to let Weiss and Yang speak freely without fear of being overheard. They were doing it so often that Weiss had purchased her own motorcycle helmet. She still didn't quite understand Yang's love of that deathtrap on wheels, but she had to admit that the physical closeness it let them share was nice.

The big problem with going into Vale almost every day was that it had really cut into Weiss's study schedule. As the weeks had gone by, she'd found herself getting further and further behind. Of all the problems that could have arisen from secretly dating Yang, Weiss never would've guessed that would be one of them.

Weiss didn't regret the time she spent with Yang, however. And she still believed that she'd been right in deciding not to let Ruby and Blake in on the secret. She just wished there was a better way to balance her time with Yang and her academics.

Right now it was late in the afternoon on a typical weekday, and Weiss was sitting at the writing desk in Team RWBY's dorm, trying to get caught up on her homework. The rest of the team was there as well, although Weiss wasn't paying them any mind. She was too busy working through the last Dust reaction formula that Professor Pulvis had assigned in class today.

Weiss thought she just about had the solution figured out when her concentration was broken by some inane digitized music, punctuated by the stylized sound of punches being thrown.

Weiss looked over her shoulder and saw Yang and Ruby sitting on the floor, playing that fighting game they inexplicably enjoyed. Their characters were jumping and flipping across the projected screen, locked in fierce and incredibly unrealistic combat. At least Blake had the good grace to be quiet during Weiss's study time. She was sitting on her bed with her own homework spread out in front of her.

"Excuse me," Weiss said. "I'm trying to concentrate."

"Sorry, Weiss!" Ruby said. "We can turn the volume down."

Yang said, "Only if she can beat me in a round!"

"Yang! I'm still playing," Ruby said.

"Oh yeah?" Yang said. Her character suddenly pummeled Ruby's into submission with a huge combo.

The game announced, "Player One wins! Total annihilation!"

"Winner stays in! Looser switches out!" Yang said.

"Nooo!" Ruby wailed. "How could you, Yang?! I thought we were sisters!"

"I have no sister on the battlefield," Yang said in an overly dramatic voice. She turned to Weiss. "So? Want to play? Winner gets to set the volume?"

"I have no intention of playing," Weiss said. "I need to study. You should be studying too."

"Pff," Yang said dismissively. "My homework's done."

"There's a lot more to studying than just homework," Weiss said. "Quite frankly, you could do better in class. You're a lot smarter than your grades indicate."

"My grades are fine," Yang said.

"I wouldn't call two A's and a smattering of B's and C's fine," Weiss said.

Yang gasped in mock alarm. "How did you know? Have you been spying on me?"

"I've been doing nothing of the sort," Weiss said. "You came in here waving about your report card after the mid-semester exams."

"Oh yeah," Yang said. Suddenly, she grinned. "Oh, I get it now."

"What are you talking about?" Weiss asked.

Yang stood up and pointed at Weiss. "You're jealous that I was rated higher than you in sparring class."

"What?!" Weiss said, getting to her feet as well. "You were not!"

"Oh yeah?" Yang asked, fixing Weiss with a heated look. She took a sauntering step forward. "Are you so sure about that? Maybe we should check."

"This…this isn't a competition," Weiss said. She started inching forward, drawn in by Yang's smoldering eyes.

"Oh, I think it is," Yang said. Her tone was dangerously sultry. She took a few more steps until she was practically touching noses with Weiss. "Maybe we should settle things the old fashioned way."

"Maybe we should," Weiss said. Her eyes flicked to Yang's lips for a brief moment.

"Uh…guys?" Ruby asked, sounding worried.

Weiss suddenly remembered that she and Yang weren't alone. Her cheeks went red the instant she realized what she was about to do. She tried to come up with an explanation that she could give Ruby and Blake, but her mind refused to work.

Blake sighed and pushed her homework aside. She got up from her bed, and said, "I think I heard Nora calling us, Ruby. Let's go see what she wants."

"What? But…what about…?" Ruby asked, looking at Weiss and Yang.

"They'll be fine," Blake said. She gently started pushing Ruby toward the door. "They just need to work things out."

"Are you sure?" Ruby asked.

"Positive," Blake said. She opened the door to the hallway, shooed Ruby through it, and then left herself.

The door closed with a click, and Before Weiss even knew what was happening, Yang's hands and lips were all over her. It was rare for them to know for certain that they had the dorm all to themselves, and Yang never let moments like this go to waste. Weiss wholeheartedly kissed Yang back, but she could hardly keep up. Yang was like a mad bull that had been let out of the gate. It was almost too much for Weiss, but she still relished these opportunities, overwhelming though they could be.

Unfortunately, the tiny, nibbling doubts that were so fond of plaguing Weiss surfaced in the back of her mind. Enjoyable though Yang's flurry of kisses might be, Weiss wanted her relationship with Yang to be more meaningful than just physical gratification. The problem was, she didn't really know what it was that made a relationship meaningful. Was it okay to enjoy these brief but furious make-out sessions without concern, or should she be worried that she and Yang were just teenagers being ruled by their physical urges?

Suddenly, the edge of the writing desk bumped into the backs of Weiss's legs. She hadn't even been aware that she'd been backing up. She sat down on the desk out of reflex. This simple change in position, combined with Yang's height, intensified everything. Yang wasn't just showering Weiss with kisses now; she was standing over her, surrounding her, and raining passion down on her. It was intoxicating beyond belief.

Once as a child, Weiss had wished to grow up as big and tall as Winter, but right now, she was glad that her wish hadn't come true. Her hands found Yang's sides and she held on for all she was worth. Her concerns hadn't gone away, but at the moment, Weiss didn't have the will to question what was happening.

Yang cupped Weiss's cheeks. She pulled her into a deep kiss. Weiss's finger's dug into Yang's jacket as she tasted the desire on Yang's lips. It was so potent that it made Weiss's head swim. She didn't understand how someone could feel so strongly about her, but she was so very thankful that Yang did.

When the need to breathe became too great, Yang broke the kiss. She kept cupping Weiss's cheeks as they both gasped for air and gazed into each other's eyes.

Weiss's breath slowly returned to normal. She looked at Yang for a long moment and then said, "You really should study more."

Yang laughed out loud. She let go of Weiss and asked, "Were we actually arguing about that? I thought we were just flirting."

"I…suppose we were," Weiss said. "But I do have a good point all the same."

Yang cocked her head to the side. "What? Are they not going to let me be a huntress if I don't get straight A's?"

"That's no reason not to do your best," Weiss said.

"I'll tell you what," Yang said with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "I'll study more if you can beat me in the next round."

"I told you, I'm not interested in playing your video game," Weiss said.

Yang leaned in close. "Who said I was talking about a game?"

Weiss caught Yang's meaning. She just knew that no matter the result of their next "round", Yang wouldn't be studying any more than she already did, but that didn't make Weiss want to play along any less. She closed her eyes and prepared herself to be kissed.

Just then, Weiss's scroll buzzed. She opened her eyes. Yang's lips were inches from hers. She put a hand on Yang's mouth. "Just a moment. I should see who that's from."

Yang frowned, but then the corners of her mouth turned up in a grin. She started suckling on the ends of Weiss's fingers.

"Yang!" Weiss said, pulling her hand away. She couldn't believe Yang had done that. However, she couldn't quite keep the amusement out of her voice.

Weiss stood up and pulled out her scroll. She turned her back to Yang so she could read the message without Yang inevitably trying to distract her.

Weiss's heart sank when she saw who the message was from. It was another communications request from Father. Weiss was amazed that he'd taken so long to send it after she'd ignored the last one. He must be exceptionally busy right now.

Weiss stared at her scroll, not knowing what to do. She was well enough in control of her emotions again to speak to Father and not give him cause to think that something was wrong. The only problem was that speaking with Father would force her to acknowledge the reality she'd been doing her best to ignore. Someday, a scant few years from now, she would graduate from Beacon and assume a prominent role in the Schnee Dust Company, and on that day, there would be no more room in her life for Yang.

Weiss found herself paralyzed with doubt. She couldn't put off speaking to Father forever, but just the idea of it made her nauseous. Her finger hovered over the 1 button on her scroll to accept Father's request.

Suddenly, Yang reached up and pulled out Weiss's tiara. Weiss's hair fell loose around her shoulders. It was a simple act on Yang's part, yet it demonstrated such a casual intimacy that Weiss found herself awestruck. All of her concerns for Father and the future fled her mind. She reminded herself that right here and now, Yang was her girlfriend. The thought made her stomach tingle with excitement.

Yang's fingers started sifting through Weiss's silky strands of hair. Weiss sighed softly. She hit the 3 button on her scroll to once again ignore Father's request. Then she closed her scroll and set it down on the desk.

"Who was it?" Yang asked.

"No one I can't speak with later," Weiss said.

Yang kept running her hands down Weiss's hair. She asked, "Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?"

"Once or twice," Weiss said.

"That's not enough times," Yang said. Then she added, "Hey! Sit down for a second! There's something I've always wanted to do."

Weiss was afraid of what Yang might have in mind, but she trusted Yang, so she sat down in the writing desk's chair.

Yang walked over to the dorm's closet and started rummaging through it. She returned a moment later with Weiss's hairbrush in hand.

"You want to brush my hair?" Weiss asked.

"I know it's silly," Yang said. "But I do, if that's okay."

"Of course it's okay," Weiss said.

A big grin spread across Yang's face. She walked around behind Weiss and started gently running the brush through Weiss's hair.

It had been a very long time since someone else had brushed Weiss's hair, but she still remembered it clearly. She'd been six years old. Back then, her mother had brushed her hair often. Those had been happier days, before Mother had retreated into her garden rather than deal with the stress of the constant White Fang attacks.

Weiss's eye drifted closed as Yang worked. A soft coo escaped her lips. She never would've guessed how relaxing this would be.

Yang brushed until there wasn't a single knot or tangle left in Weiss's hair. She looked over her handiwork with satisfaction. Then she gathered Weiss's hair up into a side tail and put the tiara back into place.

Yang sighed and said, "We should probably stop now. Who knows when Ruby and Blake will come back."

Weiss's eyes opened. "Yes, I suppose you're right," she reluctantly agreed. However, neither she nor Yang made a move. Neither one of them wanted to dispel the magic of the moment.

Eventually, Yang said, "I think we need to clue Ruby and Blake in."

"Yang…" Weiss said. "We can't. Besides the risk of Father finding out, who knows what they'll think of us."

Yang actually laughed. "Well I can tell you for a fact that Ruby would be delighted. And it'd be kind of hypocritical for Blake to judge you, don't you think?"

"Hypocrisy has never kept anyone from being judgmental," Weiss said.

"Alright. Let me put it this way," Yang said. "I know Blake won't judge us."

"And how is that?" Weiss asked.

Yang pointed at Blake's bookshelf. "I found her stash of smut."

"You found what?!" Weiss exclaimed.

"Oh yeah. She's got it all," Yang said. "Trashy romance novels, yaoi, even a few books about lady-loving."

"How did you even come across all that?" Weiss asked.

"I was snooping," Yang said.

"Yang!" Weiss scolded.

"What? It's just sitting out there on the bookshelf for anybody to find," Yang said. "Besides, it's fun to uncover your friends' dirty secrets."

"I never realized you were such a busybody," Weiss said.

"It's easy to be sneaky when no one expects you to be," Yang said.

"You should be more considerate," Weiss said.

"It's just a little harmless fun," Yang said. "It's not like I gossip about what I find."

"Dare I ask what illicit information you've uncovered about me?" Weiss asked.

"I figured out you were gay," Yang said. "But that was kind of obvious."

"It wasn't that obvious," Weiss said.

Yang shrugged. "If you say so."

"Regardless," Weiss said. "I still don't want to tell Ruby and Blake. I'm sorry if you don't understand."

"No, I get it. Sort of anyway," Yang said. "But it would be nice to have at least one place where we didn't have to pretend."

"I'm sorry," Weiss said, although she had to agree with Yang on that last point. It was frustrating having to be on her guard even around her teammates.

Weiss turned back to the writing desk. She still had one last homework problem to do, but when her eyes fell on her scroll, she remembered something else she'd wanted to ask Yang about.

Weiss turned back around. "How would you feel about going on another date?"

Yang smiled. "Do you even have to ask?"

"I don't know what you think about art, but the Vale Art Museum is having an afternoon fundraiser this weekend," Weiss said. "I've been invited to the event of course, and I'm allowed to bring a guest. It'll be an opportunity to get dressed up in our new outfits, if you want to go."

"That sounds awesome!" Yang said.

"Really? I wasn't sure if a museum was something you'd enjoy," Weiss said.

"I've never really been to one," Yang admitted. "But if I get to go somewhere in fancy clothes with you, who cares where it is."

"Then it's a date," Weiss said.

"I can't wait," Yang said.

* * *

 _Author's Note: I'm not sure what type of grading system Beacon uses, but since RWBY is made in America, I went with the American one. For the curious, Yang's A's were in Sparring and Grimm Studies._

 _As always, I welcome constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave a review. And if you like what you've read, taking the time to favorite and/or follow really helps me out. You can also find me on tumblr (electronicyarn) if you want to send me a message or be notified of updates._


	13. Together Apart

**Chapter 13: Together Apart**

The architecture of the Vale Art Museum was strikingly modern. Its stark white interiors were a brightly lit maze of galleries designed to draw patrons in and trap them in a labyrinth of dazzling artistry. Despite the museum not being as well funded as the premier art galleries in Atlas, or as historically significant as the ones in Mistral, it was nevertheless world-class. All in all, Weiss approved.

What Weiss did not approve of was Dee Carmichael, the museum's director, trapping her in a corner of the event hall and smothering her with meaningless chatter.

Weiss had made a generous donation to the museum at the fundraiser today, partially because it was expected of her, partially because she thought it might impress Yang, but mostly because she genuinely loved fine art. She already had plans for establishing a foundation to support the arts some far off day in the future. Unfortunately, the donation she'd made today had apparently given Dee the impression that they were the best of friends.

"Oh you simply must come visit us next month!" Dee said, rambling on. "We're hosting a traveling exhibit showcasing living masters! I'm told a few of the featured artists will be showing up in person."

"That sounds delightful," Weiss said, expertly hiding her impatience with Dee.

Dee was a middle-aged woman that made a concerted and painfully obvious effort to look like she was still in her twenties. Weiss did have to give her credit where credit was due, however. Dee's short, platinum blonde hair was perfectly styled, and her white business suit was immaculately tailored.

"Anyway, as I was saying," Dee continued. "The renovations to the West Gallery—"

"If you'll excuse me one moment," Weiss said, finally having had enough. "I see my friend trying to get my attention."

"Oh?" Dee said, looking over her shoulder.

Weiss used the opportunity to slip past Dee. "Let me go see what she wants," Weiss said.

"Ah, yes of course," Dee said.

Weiss walked away from Dee at a pace just slow enough not to be rude. She actually had no idea where Yang had gotten off to. The fundraiser's attendees had been slowly filtering out into the museum's various galleries, but there were still dozens of them left in the event hall. Most of them were congregated together in small groups, making conversation. Even though Weiss couldn't hear what anyone was saying over the general chatter, she could easily imagine the games of social one-upmanship that were doubtlessly being played. She may have been far from her usual social circles in Atlas, but the rules of high society didn't change much from kingdom to kingdom.

Weiss finally spotted Yang over by the refreshments with a pile of finger food in her hand. Weiss chuckled to herself. She should've guessed that's where Yang would be. Weiss started making her way over to Yang. She couldn't help but admire how good Yang looked in her new outfit. Even if this was the only time that Yang got to wear it, that shopping trip to Giallo had still been worth every Lien. Yang would probably agree, judging by how many time's today Weiss had caught Yang staring at her in her new dress.

Weiss was so focused on Yang that she almost didn't notice the young man that was speaking with her. He was tall and fit with kempt, blue-gray hair, and he had on a vest and dress shirt that made him look effortlessly fashionable. The smile on his face reminded Weiss a bit of Neptune's, but there was something about it that seemed less sincere.

The young man kept on talking to Yang while she chowed down on her hors d'oeuvres. He apparently wasn't concerned with Yang's less than perfect etiquette when it came to food, and his eyes never left her. Weiss had never seen him before, but her dislike for him was already growing.

When Yang laughed at something the young man said, Weiss decided that she definitely didn't like him. She quickened her pace and walked right up to Yang's side.

"There you are, Yang! I'd wondered where you'd gotten off to," Weiss said, both to announce her presence and make her familiarity with Yang known.

"Oh hey!" Yang said. "You finally get done talking with what's-her-name?"

"Director Dee Carmichael," Weiss said. "And yes."

"I'm impressed," the young man said in a smooth and suave voice. "It's not easy to escape once Dee starts talking."

Weiss eyed the young man. She said, "I don't believe we've been introduced."

"I'm John Marigold," the young man said. "And who might you be?"

"Weiss Schnee," Weiss said.

"A pleasure," John said, surprisingly unfazed by Weiss's family name. He immediately turned back to Yang. "You didn't tell me you were here with a friend as lovely as yourself, Yang."

John's undisguised interest in Yang sent a wave of disgust washing over Weiss. She suddenly had a powerful urge to take Yang's hand and very clearly stake her claim as Yang's girlfriend. Unfortunately, she absolutely could not do that, especially not here. There were undoubtedly people in the room right now that were indirectly connected to Father. Weiss hadn't thought about it until just this moment, but taking Yang on a date to an event like this had been an extremely risky move.

Weiss was slightly mollified, however, when Yang looked at her and said, "Yeah, she is pretty lovely, isn't she?"

John, who was still completely focused on Yang, asked, "How long were you planning on staying at the museum? Because I know a cocktail lounge a few blocks from here. It's rather exclusive, but I'm always on the guest list."

" _We_ were planning on staying a while," Weiss answered for Yang. Thinking quickly, she said, "Yang asked me to show her the galleries. In fact, if you'll excuse us…."

"If that's the case, how about I take you on a tour?" John asked. "I come here often enough. I might as well be an expert."

Yang stuffed the last of her food into her mouth and quickly swallowed it. She said, "Naw. That's okay. I've already got a tour guide."

John looked completely shocked that he'd been turned down. "But—"

"Goodbye, John," Weiss said. "It was a pleasure to meet you. Right this way, Yang."

Weiss and Yang left the bewildered John behind as they headed for the museum's North Gallery. When they'd made their way out of the event hall, Yang said, "Poor guy. He's going to be nursing his bruised ego for a week."

"Good," Weiss said.

Yang laughed. "Well someone's the jealous type."

"He was blatantly flirting with you!" Weiss said.

"Yeah, he was trying so hard. It was kind of funny," Yang said. "You can't really blame him too much. He didn't know we're here together."

Weiss's expression grew dark. Yang did have a good point. As far as John was concerned, Yang was single, and that was all the excuse most young men needed to…insist upon themselves. Weiss was becoming worried that fending off unwanted advances was going to be a common feature on her dates with Yang.

"What's that look for?" Yang asked.

"It's nothing," Weiss said in a glum tone.

"Hey," Yang said, stopping for a moment. "He wasn't going to get anywhere. I'm here with you. I'm not interested in anyone else."

Weiss sighed. "I know," she said.

"You did say no one would be able to keep their eyes off me in this outfit," Yang said, preening a bit.

"Maybe the next time we go to an event like this, we should find a burlap sack for you to wear," Weiss said.

"I don't know. Brown's one of my colors," Yang said. "I bet I could rock a burlap sack!"

In spite of herself, Weiss chuckled.

"So as long as we're here," Yang said. "We might as well look at some art. If you want to, anyway."

"I would love to," Weiss said.

The North Gallery turned out to feature mostly abstract art, which just so happened to be some of Weiss's favorite. She took the time to admire several paintings as she and Yang walked by. She stopped in front of one that really caught her eye. It was nothing more than several long, thin lines of black paint on an otherwise blank canvas. The lines looked like they'd been made by violent strokes of a brush. Weiss stood there, absorbed by the painting for several minutes.

"I don't get it," Yang said. "What's it supposed to be?"

"It's abstract," Weiss said. "It's meaning is open to interpretation."

Yang looked harder at the painting. She said, "Uh…well, why don't you interpret it for me?"

"It's not supposed to have the same meaning for different people," Weiss said.

"Yeah, but you obviously really like it," Yang said. "I want to know what you see in it."

"Very well," Weiss said. She paused a moment to gather her thoughts. Then she said, "I see a conflict of passion. Harsh words said in the heat of the moment. A single instant in time that shattered a perfect harmony. I see a world of black and white that can't remain orderly because there's absolutely no room for gray. Nothing can bend. It can only break."

Weiss finished speaking. When Yang didn't say anything, Weiss turned to her. Yang had a look of awe and wonder on her face.

"That's so…deep," Yang said. She reached for Weiss like she wanted to cup her cheek, but she pulled her hand back at the last second.

Weiss felt a pang of loss. She didn't know why, but she really wanted to feel Yang's touch right now. It hurt that she couldn't.

"What…what do you see?" Weiss asked to try and distract herself.

"Uh…" Yang said. "Some black lines?"

Weiss chuckled softly. "I suppose abstract art isn't for everyone."

"I don't know. I could stand to have you interpret a few more," Yang said. "It was kind of…you know."

Surprisingly, Weiss did know what Yang meant. The whole point of abstract art, at least in Weiss's opinion, was to draw out thoughts and feelings lingering in the viewer's subconscious. There was something emotionally intimate about sharing that with Yang. If she and Yang couldn't indulge in any physical closeness today, maybe that would be an acceptable substitute.

"I'm sure the gallery has a few more pieces that I'll find interesting," Weiss said.

"Let's go find them then," Yang said.

Weiss and Yang started walking again. Weiss kept watch for another painting that would catch her eye, but when she turned a corner, she stopped cold.

There was a man and a woman ahead of Weiss and Yang, both lost looking at a large painting hanging on the wall. They were obviously together. The man's hand was resting on the woman's shoulder, and his thumb was idly stroking the skin exposed by the woman's sleeveless blouse.

The casual display of affection was hardly a momentous thing, but it hit Weiss hard. She suddenly understood why she'd hated John so much. It wasn't because he'd show interest in Yang; it was because he was allowed to show interest in Yang.

Weiss had thought that keeping her relationship with Yang a secret would be a relatively simple task, but she'd never imagined the emotional cost. Each day that went by, she wanted more and more to proclaim to the world that Yang was hers and she was Yang's.

"Uh…Weiss?" Yang asked.

"I'm sorry," Weiss said. "I'd like to move on to the next gallery."

"Okay," Yang said. She was clearly confused, but she didn't argue.

The next gallery was the polar opposite of the last. It had still lifes, portraits, and other works of realism on display. Weiss had never found realism all that interesting. Works of that nature certainly could have clever compositions and vibrant images, but there was so little to interpret.

Weiss wasn't really paying attention to the artwork as she and Yang walked the gallery. She was trying to get her emotions under control. It may be true that she was denied some of the things that more conventional couples took for granted, but she was still on a date with Yang. She was determined to enjoy herself.

Yang suddenly stopped. Weiss looked up to see why. She and Yang were standing in front of a large, prominently displayed painting. To Weiss's surprise, Yang was staring at it with great interest. Weiss glanced at the painting that had captured Yang's attention. It was a full-body, double portrait of a man and a woman that Weiss recognized.

"I didn't realize this was here in Vale," Weiss said.

"You know something about it?" Yang asked.

"Yes. It's a very famous painting," Weiss said. "It's one of the few surviving examples from the Lost Renaissance. It's believed to depict a wedding ceremony from approximately four hundred years ago."

"If they're getting married, why aren't they smiling?" Yang asked.

Weiss looked at the painting again. The couple in it did indeed have rather stoic expressions. It wasn't something that Weiss had taken note of before. She said, "I'm not sure. Perhaps it wasn't considered appropriate back then."

"Well they may not be smiling, but they sure can't keep their eyes off each other," Yang said. "Aww. Look at the way they're holding hands."

Weiss had completely failed to notice the couple's eye lines. Most portraits had their subjects looking outward like they were having their photograph taken. But this couple was looking at each other. In fact, unless Weiss missed her guess, they were looking into each other's eyes. And the way they were holding hands, loosely intertwined, was a subtle but poignant visual statement.

Weiss glanced at Yang. All she'd ever seen in this painting was two people standing there, but clearly, Yang saw so much more. Maybe Weiss had been wrong; maybe realism did leave room for interpretation.

Yang turned to Weiss with a smile on her face. She said, "They're so in love. It's cute."

Weiss couldn't help but smile back at Yang.

"Come on!" Yang said. "Let's go see what else they have here."

Yang started walking to the next painting, but Weiss lingered behind. She looked at the portrait one last time and saw it in a new light. It was ridiculous, but she was actually jealous of a painting. Even the fictitious couple it depicted could openly indulge in ways that she couldn't.

* * *

Night had fallen by the time Weiss and Yang arrived back on campus. They were on foot due to the fact that they'd taken the air ferry, not Yang's bike, into Vale. Weiss had insisted. One did not show up to a social event like that on a motorcycle. The fundraiser proper had been long over by the time Weiss and Yang had left, but they'd taken the time to tour most of the museum. Weiss had hope that, properly nurtured, Yang might grow into a real art-lover someday.

"That was fun!" Yang said as she and Weiss strolled back toward the dormitories.

"Yes it was," Weiss said with a tinge of sadness in her voice. It had been fun, but it had also been a painful exercise in restraint. Weiss had been ready to scream by the end of it.

Yang eyed Weiss. She asked, "Are you sure? You looked like you were getting kind of flustered when we left."

"It's fine," Weiss said. "It was just…it's been more difficult than I anticipated not being able to tell anyone about, you know."

Yang looked thoughtful for a moment. Then she said, "I'm not ready for this date to be over yet. How about you?"

"Did you have something more in mind?" Weiss asked.

"I sure do!" Yang said.

Yang took Weiss by the hand. Weiss's eyebrows shot up in alarm, but then Yang was running and pulling Weiss along for the ride. Weiss knew she should tell Yang to stop, but when Yang looked back at her with a carefree expression, all of Weiss's worries were chased away. A smile worked its way onto Weiss's face as Yang led her to an unknown destination.

It soon became apparent that Yang was heading to the campus's combat arena. Weiss asked, "Why are we going to the arena?"

"I've got an announcement to make!" Yang said.

"What do you mean?" Weiss asked.

"You'll see," Yang said.

Yang pulled Weiss inside the arena. Its hallways were mostly dark as only a few of the lights were kept on so late at night. Weiss had no idea what Yang was up to. Her first thought was that Yang was going to take her to one of the practice rooms, but they would all be locked up for the evening. Yang, however, had bigger ideas. She led Weiss to one of the ramps that went down to the main arena floor.

Yang glanced around to double-check that she and Weiss really were alone. Then she scooped Weiss up into her arms. Weiss squeaked in surprise as Yang literally swept her off her feet. Weiss had half a mind to protest; she was perfectly capable of walking after all. However, nestling in Yang's arms was so comforting, so serenely enjoyable, that she couldn't help but let Yang carry her down to the arena floor.

The only illumination on the arena floor was coming from the moon peeking in through the skylights overhead, but that didn't slow Yang down. She boldly took center stage with Weiss in her arms under spotlights made of moonbeams.

"Listen up!" Yang said to the phantom audience up in the stands. "Weiss here is my girlfriend! So no one better get any funny ideas! She's all mine!"

Yang turned to Weiss, still holding her in her arms. "There. Everyone knows. Now I can kiss you anytime I want to."

Weiss looked into Yang's eyes and said, "Prove it."

Yang grinned. She leaned forward and kissed Weiss full on the mouth. Weiss couldn't tell if Yang was tipping her forward or if the whole world had gone off kilter. She hadn't thought that Yang's kisses could get any better, but being kiss while being cradled in Yang's arms was absolutely breathtaking.

All too soon, Yang broke the kiss and tilted Weiss back onto her feet. Weiss was dizzy in the most delightful way, and Yang had to hold on to her until she regained her balance.

Yang said, "It's your turn, Weissy."

Weiss glanced at Yang, then she looked up at the nonexistent audience. However, she didn't say anything. It was ludicrous, but she was actually intimidated by a crowd that wasn't even there.

Yang's arm wrapped around Weiss's shoulders. "It's okay," she said. "They won't judge."

"This is Yang Xiao Long," Weiss said. "And…and she's…she's my girlfriend!"

Weiss's words echoed across the empty arena. A great weight lifted off her shoulders. Nothing had changed, but she felt so much better that it was unbelievable.

"Yang is my girlfriend!" Weiss said again, reveling in how glorious it was to say out loud.

Weiss laughed. It wasn't a quiet giggle or a polite chuckle, but an out-and-out laugh. She looked at Yang, who was grinning from ear to ear, and said, "You're my girlfriend!"

"You got that right," Yang said. "Feel better now?"

"Much. Thank you," Weiss said.

Yang grinned at Weiss with a gleam in her eye. She beckoned Weiss closer. Weiss threw her arms around Yang, and they kissed again.

Weiss wasn't envious of the couple in the painting anymore. They may have been able to openly proclaim their feelings to the world, but they would never experience anything like this. No matter what the circumstances demanded, Weiss decided that this was worth it. Yang was worth it.

* * *

 _Author's Note:_ _Some of you may be thinking that Dee Carmichael's name violates the Color Naming Rule, but worry not! Her actual first name is Daisy. She just goes by Dee because she thinks Daisy is too undignified._

 _John Marigold is obviously related to Henry Marigold from Volume 4. I haven't quite decided how yet. Maybe they're brothers. I suppose I could have come up with an original character for the bit part, but why do that where I can just slightly modify and repurpose an existing one?_

 _I imagine the painting that Yang liked so much to be very similar to_ The Arnolfini Portrait _by Jan van Eyck. It's one of my all-time favorite paintings. You can look it up on Wikipedia if you're interested in learning more about it._

 _As always, I welcome constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave a review. And if you like what you've read, taking the time to favorite and/or follow really helps me out. You can also find me on tumblr (electronicyarn) if you want to send me a message or be notified of updates._


	14. Confessions

**Chapter 14: Confessions**

Weiss liked to think of herself as a cool-headed, logical person who wasn't ruled by her emotions. It was the example that Winter had set for her, and it was the ideal that she aspired to. Feeling too strongly about something did nothing but cloud one's better judgment. That was why Weiss was growing increasingly concerned about her feelings toward Yang.

Weiss's every thought as of late seemed to be about Yang. Ordinarily, she wouldn't have minded, but it was really starting to interfere with her academics. She could barely even remember what had been covered in class today, and it had been like that all week. If Weiss didn't get a handle on her emotions soon, her grades might start to suffer. Weiss did not intend to settle for anything less than straight A's, and of even more concern, her grades slipping would be a massive red flag to Father, alerting him that something wasn't quite right.

No matter what Weiss did, however, thoughts of Yang always found a way to worm themselves into her head. It was hard to fight them when they made her so happy. Weiss didn't understand how she even could feel that strongly about Yang. They hadn't been dating all that long. Perhaps it was because they'd been friends—and friends living in close quarters at that—for a semester and a half now. Whatever the reason, Weiss couldn't deny that her feelings for Yang were growing stronger and stronger at an alarming rate.

Last week had been a tipping point of sorts. Weiss and Yang's phony public announcement hadn't been the salve that Weiss had been hoping for. Instead of satisfying her desire to let the world know about her and Yang, it had intensified it. She'd already caught herself several times this week forgetting to behave herself with regard to Yang when Ruby and Blake were present.

Weiss wondered if she should talk to Yang about it, but she already knew what Yang would say. She'd once again suggest that they tell Ruby and Blake about their relationship. The worst part was that Yang would be right. There really wasn't any reason not to tell Ruby and Blake. Despite what Weiss had said to Yang, she didn't actually believe that letting their teammates in on the secret would increase the risk of it getting back to Father. That had just been a convenient excuse. The real reason Weiss didn't want to tell Ruby and Blake was far more personal and far more pathetic.

The truth was, Weiss was afraid of being judged. She knew that she'd almost certainly find nothing but acceptance from her teammates, but she still didn't want them to see her differently after they found out she was gay. She didn't want her orientation to define who she was in their eyes. Weiss never thought that she'd be able to empathize with Blake's fear of people finding out that she was a faunus from personal experience. Fate certainly had a twisted sense of humor. It made Weiss feel even worse about the harsh things she'd said to Blake last semester.

It was in that state of mind that Weiss returned to Team RWBY's dorm one day after class. She was pleased to find that she was the first one back to the room, although that was usually the case. She felt like she really needed some time alone right now.

Weiss walked over to the writing desk and set her textbooks down on top of it. She wished she had time to just go somewhere and think, but sadly, she didn't. Distracted though she was, she really needed to get some studying done, especially if Yang wanted to go into Vale for coffee today.

Weiss was just about to sit down at the writing desk when she happened to glance over in the direction of her bed. Something out of place caught her eye. She took a closer look and saw that an envelope was resting on her pillow with her name written on it in Yang's sloppy handwriting.

Weiss's eyebrows shot up in alarm when she realized what she was looking at. There was only one reason that Yang would write an actual, physical letter instead of sending her a message on her scroll. Weiss dashed over to her bed and snatched up the envelope. She clutched it close to her chest as her eyes darted around the room. She half expected Blake or Ruby to appear out of nowhere.

When neither Ruby nor Blake materialized out of thin air, Weiss relaxed, but only a little. What had Yang been thinking?! Not only had she left behind physical evidence of their relationship, but she'd left it unguarded! It would have been an unmitigated disaster if Ruby or Blake had gotten back from class first. Weiss had half a mind to incinerate the envelope without even opening it.

Weiss sighed heavily. She held the envelope up in front of her. She couldn't believe what Yang had done, least of all because Yang didn't exactly strike her as the letter-writing type. Come to think of it, no one had ever written Weiss a personal letter before. In this age of digital communication, it just wasn't something that was done.

The more Weiss thought about it, the more she realized what a sweet gesture this was from Yang, even if it was foolish. She sat down on her bed, still staring at the paper in her hand. Her mouth slowly turned up in a smile. Yang was so careless sometimes, but she was also dangerously romantic when she chose to be.

Weiss carefully unsealed the envelope, trying to do as little damage to it as possible. Then she pulled out the letter it contained.

 _Hey Weiss,_

 _I know this is kind of old fashion but after the fancy clothes, invitations to cool museums and lots and lots of coffee I wanted to give you a gift too. So this is it._

 _I'm not really all that good with words but here I go. After we got put on the same team I figured out pretty quick that you were something special and boy was I right! I've never known anyone like you before. Sometimes I can't figure out why you're with me when you could do so much better but I'm really glad you are. We're good together. I think so anyway._ _I'm looking forward to us graduating and going out there to kick grimm butt together._

 _Just because I can let me tell you again that you're perfect. You're smart. You're sexy. You like me. I like you. What more could I want? I can't wait for our next date because I know it's going to be so much fun!_

 _Yang_

 _P.S. I don't have any lipstick and Blake yelled at me the last time I took hers so just pretend I kissed this letter and left a big old smooch on it!_

Weiss's mouth was hanging slightly agape. She read the letter a second time and then a third. It was no literary masterpiece, but Weiss still felt her heart flutter. Did Yang really think she wasn't good enough for her? It was the most ridiculous thing Weiss had ever read!

Weiss had no idea what to do. What she held in her hand might very well be the most precious gift she'd ever received. It was far too dangerous to hold on to such a damning piece of evidence, but she didn't think she could bring herself to destroy it. It was a real, tangible token of Yang's affection, and Weiss already treasured it. She wasn't sure if she wanted to slap Yang or kiss her for putting her in this dilemma.

Weiss carefully folded the letter and slipped it back into its envelope. She brought it up close and pressed her lips onto it.

Suddenly, the door to the room started opening. Weiss panicked. She scrambled up off her bed, and doing the first thing that came to mind, lifted her mattress and shoved the letter underneath.

Weiss tried to compose herself for whoever was about to walk in. However, when Yang, and only Yang, came through the door, Weiss's faux innocent smile turned into a frown.

"Hiya, Weissy!" Yang said cheerfully. "Did you find—?"

"You!" Weiss interrupted.

"Uh, yeah?" Yang asked, confused.

"We need to talk," Weiss said. She stomped up to Yang and grabbed her hand. Then she pulled her back through the door and out into the hallway. Ruby and Blake would be back any moment, and Weiss needed to have this discussion in private. Fortunately, she knew where they could go.

Weiss marched through the dormitory with Yang in tow. She took her up the stairs, all the way up to the top of the building, and pulled her out onto the roof.

Once they were outside, Weiss released Yang's hand and spun around to face her. "How could you do something so reckless?!" she demanded.

"Is this about the letter?" Yang asked, scratching her head.

"Yes, it's about the letter!" Weiss exclaimed. "What if Ruby or Blake saw?"

"They wouldn't have seen it. You're always the first one back to the dorm," Yang said.

"What if I wasn't today?!" Weiss asked.

"It would've been okay. I mean, it was sealed," Yang said. "It's not like Ruby or Blake would have opened it up."

"That's not the point! They still could have seen it!" Weiss said. "We talked about this! We can't give anyone the wrong impression!"

"Oh yeah? Then why did you drag me by the hand up to the dorm's number one make out spot?" Yang asked. Then she muttered to herself, "At least I think that's what Pyrrha and Jaune are doing up here."

"That's…! I was…" Weiss sputtered. "You're right, I shouldn't have done that, but my point still stands!"

"Come on, Weiss!" Yang said, crossing her arms. "I just wanted to do something nice for you. I'm sorry you didn't like it."

Weiss let out a long breath. Then she softly said, "I did like it. A lot."

"Really?" Yang asked. "I wasn't sure that you would."

"Yes, really," Weiss said. "It was incredibly sweet. But it was hardly necessary."

"Well it wasn't necessary for you to buy me some fancy clothes, but you did it anyway," Yang said.

"That was different," Weiss said.

"How's that?" Yang asked.

Weiss opened her mouth, but she closed it again when she realized she didn't have a good answer for Yang. Why had she felt the need to do that? Hadn't that been just as dangerous as Yang's letter? At the time Weiss hadn't even considered the risks; she'd just done it without giving it a second thought.

"Look, Weiss," Yang said. "I get that all this has to be a secret, but I can't just keep everything inside all the time! Sometimes I have to show you how much I love you!"

Weiss's train of thought came to a screeching halt. She asked, "What did you just say?"

"I said I can't keep everything inside all the time," Yang repeated.

"No," Weiss said. "You said you have to show me how much you…love me."

"I did?! I didn't, uh…I meant…" Yang stammered. Then she did something extraordinary. She actually blushed.

"Yang. Do you…love me?" Weiss asked. Something clicked inside her head. It was like Yang had said something that had been on the tip of her tongue for days. Her murky thoughts and feelings all came into crystal clear focus.

"Yeah," Yang said. "I do. I love you. Like, really love you."

Weiss had never, ever seen Yang's confidence slip before. And she'd never see her look so afraid or so vulnerable. But everything made sense now. Yang loved her.

"I'm sorry," Yang said, turning away. "I shouldn't have said that. It just kind of slipped out."

"No," Weiss said. She put her hand on Yang's shoulder. "I'm glad you did."

Yang turned back around. Weiss looked her right in the eye and said, "I love you too."

One of the corners of Yang's mouth turned up in a half-smile, like she didn't dare believe what she'd just heard. "You do?" she asked.

"Yes," Weiss said.

"Like, for real?" Yang asked.

"Yes," Weiss repeated.

Yang looked absolutely speechless. She put her hands on Weiss's shoulders, and then she leaned into Weiss and kissed her.

Weiss closed her eyes as she pressed her lips into Yang's. Tears ran down her cheeks as her heart melted. She understood now. It was so obvious. She loved Yang. That was why she couldn't think of anything else. It was terrifying and enthralling all at once. The emotions inside of Weiss were so strong that they threatened to consume her completely, but she was powerless to keep them at bay any longer.

The kiss lasted for what felt like an eternity, but it still slipped away all too soon. When Yang pulled back, she smiled sweetly at Weiss. She reached out and wiped away Weiss's tears. Weiss felt her heart ache at the simple gesture. She pulled Yang into a hug.

Yang's arms wrapped around Weiss. Weiss sighed softly. She enjoyed Yang's hugs so much. It was ridiculous how rarely she got to indulge in them. She couldn't take it anymore. She was in love. She needed at least one haven where she could express that love without fear.

"Yang?" Weiss asked.

"Yeah?"

"You're right. We need to tell Ruby and Blake."

* * *

 _Author's Note:_ _Yang, your use of commas is atrocious! I'd criticize you further, but I'm not really one to talk. All of the typos in Yang's letter are (theoretically) intentional. Unlike the typos in the rest of the story._

 _As always, I welcome constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave a review. And if you like what you've read, taking the time to favorite and/or follow really helps me out. You can also find me on tumblr (electronicyarn) if you want to send me a message or be notified of updates._


	15. Out in the Open

**Chapter 15: Out in the Open**

Weiss stood with Yang before the closed door to Team RWBY's dorm room. It wasn't often that she was nervous, but right now she was practically sweating. Even after all she'd seen and experienced in life, outing herself to Ruby and Blake was proving to be one of the hardest things she'd ever done.

Weiss reached out to open the door, but then she pulled her hand back.

Yang glanced at Weiss. She said, "I can be the one to tell them if you want."

"No," Weiss said resolutely. "I need to do this myself."

Weiss straightened herself up. She was not some cowering neophyte. She'd slain the monsters that preyed upon humanity with her own hands. She'd navigated the treacherous waters of Atlas's high society since birth. She'd faced the scorn of far worse than Ruby and Blake. She could handle something like this.

Weiss opened the door and walked inside with all the courage she could muster. In her absence, Blake had taken over the writing desk and was doing her homework on it. Ruby was sitting up on her bunk bed with her head buried in her scroll and her feet dangling off the edge. The scene was so mundane, so normal, that Weiss felt like she was intruding.

Ruby glanced up. "Hey guys!" she said. "Were you two off training again?"

"Not exactly," Weiss said. She took a deep breath. "Ruby. Blake. There's something important we need to tell you."

Blake's head came up. She looked at Weiss with mild interest, but she didn't say anything. Ruby, on the other hand, closed her scroll and excitedly asked, "What is it?"

Weiss glanced back and forth between Ruby on her left and Blake on her right. She suddenly felt like she was being outflanked and surrounded. She said, "Ruby, could you…go sit over by Blake?"

"Uh…okay," Ruby said. She jumped down off her bed and went and sat on Blake's.

"Thank you," Weiss said. She was silent for a moment as she tried to compose in her head exactly what she was going to say. Her mouth opened several times as she tried to speak, but no sound came out. She just wasn't sure how to broach the topic.

Ruby and Blake sat patiently, waiting for Weiss to say something. However, Weiss just couldn't find the words she needed. She glanced over at Yang.

Yang gave Weiss a warm smile and a nod, silently encouraging her. Weiss smiled back. She could do this, she told herself.

"I need to tell you that Yang and I…. We've been…" Weiss took a deep breath and said, "We've been dating in secret. We're…we're girlfriends."

Weiss didn't know what kind of response she'd been expecting, but it certainly wasn't the one she got. Blake looked so unsurprised that Weiss might as well have been talking about the weather, and Ruby looked less shocked and more like she'd been given the final piece to a puzzle.

"Oooh, okay," Ruby said, matter-of-factly. "Now it all makes sense."

"What? What do you mean it all makes sense?" Weiss asked Ruby. She turned to Blake. "And you! You're not even a little surprised?!"

"Of course not," Blake said. "I already knew."

"But…how? When?" Weiss asked.

"Since about a week into the semester when you stopped being able to keep your eyes off of Yang," Blake said.

"But…!" Weiss said. She turned to Yang.

Yang had a very amused look on her face. She shrugged at Weiss and said, "I told you they'd figure it out."

Ruby chimed in, "I hadn't figured it out! But yeah, I guess I should have seen it."

"No you most certainly should not have!" Weiss declared. "We were careful about hiding it."

"Not that careful," Blake deadpanned.

Weiss sighed. She supposed that she should be grateful that Ruby and Blake were treating the fact that she was dating Yang as a complete non-issue, but she was still very concerned that it had apparently been so obvious. She had to know what she'd done wrong. "Ruby," she said. "What did you mean when you said that it made sense?"

"Well I've been trying to figure out why Yang hasn't had any boyfriends or girlfriends since we started at Beacon," Ruby said. "We've been here, what, close to a year? I thought for sure she'd of gone through five or six by now."

Weiss's eyes went wide. "What?!"

Yang said, "Uh…Ruby?"

Ruby continued, "When she first got here she was talking about seeing if Pyrrha 'swung that way', but she figured out pretty quickly that Pyrrha was hopelessly in love with Jaune. And then she kept talking about how if Nora didn't make her move, she was going to steal Ren away from her."

"Ruby…" Yang said, sounding exasperated.

"But then she just kind of stopped talking about boys and girls," Ruby said. "I was getting worried. She must have been crushing on you pretty hard, Weiss."

Weiss felt herself blushing, although she wasn't sure if it was more from embarrassment or apprehension. She didn't think she wanted to hear more, but she still reluctantly asked, "Did Yang have many…significant others before coming to Beacon?"

Yang sighed. She said, "Ruby, maybe—"

"Oh yeah!" Ruby enthusiastically interrupted Yang. "Just before she graduated Signal she'd been dating Joseph for a really long time. Almost three whole months! And before that she was going out with Hazelle. And before her there was Skye. And Michael before them. Oh, and before him she was dating one of the Stein twins."

"Ruby!" Yang said.

"Of course that was after she'd dated the other Stein twin," Ruby said.

"RUBY!" Yang exclaimed.

"What?" Ruby asked. Then she noticed that Weiss's face had turned beet red. "Oh."

An awkward silence settled over the room. It was broken when a snicker slipped past Blake's lips. Everyone looked at her. It was painfully obvious how hard she was trying not to laugh.

Yang rolled her eyes. She said, "Go ahead, Partner."

Blake didn't need any further prompting. She laughed long and loud until she was doubled over with her hands on her knees. Weiss didn't think she'd ever seen Blake laugh half as hard as she was right now. She really wished it wasn't at her expense.

Blake finally calmed down somewhat and wiped tears out of her eyes. She said, "All that…history aside, I'm glad you finally feel comfortable enough to have told us, Weiss."

"Yeah," Ruby said. "You didn't have to hide it from us. We're your friends!"

"I'm…sorry about that," Weiss said.

"You don't need to apologize," Blake said. "I know what it's like to have a secret you don't think you can share with even your friends."

Ruby said, "Well I'm just happy Yang's dating again."

"Speaking of which," Blake said. "I think you two have something you need to discuss. Ruby and I will give you some privacy."

"Wait," Ruby said. "What do they…? Oh yeah."

Blake chuckled. "Come on, Ruby. Let's give the lovebirds some space."

"Alright," Ruby said.

Blake and Ruby left the room, leaving Weiss and Yang alone. Neither one of them said anything at first.

Yang tapped her foot nervously on the floor. "So, uh," she said. "I told you Ruby and Blake would be okay with it."

Weiss wasn't falling for Yang's diversion. "You've dated a lot of people," she said. She didn't know why she was upset, but she unquestionably was.

"Yeah…" Yang said. "I wasn't trying to hide it from you, I swear. It just…never came up."

"I believe you," Weiss said. "I shouldn't be mad at you for dating other people before you even knew me. It's just…."

"It's just that it makes you wonder if what we have isn't as special as you thought it was," Yang said.

"Yes," Weiss said. "That's it exactly. I'd never seen you go on a date so I assumed you'd never been on one. I suppose that was foolish of me."

"No, I get what you're saying," Yang said. "Sorry. I really wasn't trying to trick you. And don't think for a second that I was lying when I said I loved you. I wouldn't ever joke around about something like that."

"I didn't think you were," Weiss said. "But knowing that you've been in love before—"

"Whoa! Hold on!" Yang interrupted. "Who said anything about me being in love before?"

"You haven't?" Weiss asked. "But what about all those past significant others?"

"I was just a kid having fun," Yang said. "And that wasn't going to change at all when I got to Beacon. I mean, Pyrrha and Ren are good people and all, but the only reason I wanted to go out with them was because they're hot. It wasn't until I got to know you that I started thinking maybe there might be something more important."

"What do you mean?" Weiss asked.

"I signed up for Beacon so I could punch grimm. That was it," Yang said. "But I saw how dedicated you were, and how Beacon was just this one little step in your big plan. I started to wonder if life couldn't be more. You were just so amazing. I can't even tell you how happy I was when I figured out you were gay. It meant that I actually might have a chance with you. I wanted to date you so badly because I knew you'd show me what it's really supposed to mean to be with someone."

Weiss's heart fluttered in her chest. She almost couldn't believe what she was hearing. Yang had taught her so much. She never would've imagined that she was teaching Yang just as much as Yang was teaching her.

"Yang?" Weiss asked.

"Yeah?"

Weiss reached up and pulled Yang into a kiss. Yang obviously hadn't been ready for it because it took her a moment before she started kissing Weiss back. Weiss was oddly pleased that she'd caught Yang by surprise.

Weiss and Yang's lips parted just long enough to steal a breath and then they kissed again. Yang's arms wrapped around Weiss and pulled her in close. Weiss's skin flushed as Yang pressed tightly into her. She could feel every dip and curve of Yang's body. Yang had certainly held her close before, but this was something new. It was a level of intimacy that they hadn't explored yet. A small voice in Weiss's head was telling her that she wasn't ready for this, but if felt so good that she didn't try to resist.

Yang's hands started inching lower and lower down Weiss's back. Weiss had a good guess that they were heading for her backside. Suddenly, she was a lot less comfortable with the situation.

"Yang—" Weiss tried to get out in between kisses.

"Yeah?" Yang asked, barely slowing down.

Suddenly, Weiss's scroll buzzed. Yang, who was pressed in close enough to feel it, jumped in surprise. She backed off from Weiss with a giggle. "That tickled!" she said.

"Sorry," Weiss said, although she was secretly glad for the reprieve. "Let me see who that is."

Weiss pulled her scroll out of her pocket. The message was yet another communications request from Father. Weiss groaned. She really couldn't keep ignoring Father, but she just didn't feel like dealing with him right now.

"Something wrong?" Yang asked.

"Nothing I can't worry about later," Weiss said, slipping her scroll back into her pocket.

"Then how about we pick up where we left off?" Yang asked with a smirk.

Weiss chuckled to cover up her nervousness. She said, "You are insatiable."

"Oh you haven't seen anything yet," Yang said.

Something in Yang's tone of voice put a thought into Weiss's head. Suddenly she had a very important question, but she didn't know if it was appropriate to ask.

"Uh-oh," Yang said with an amused grin. "What's that look for?"

"Have you…?" Weiss started, trying to find the right words. "All those people you've dated. Were you ever…physically intimate with any of them?"

"Oh! Uh…" Yang said. The grin faded from her lips. "A few of them, yeah."

"I see," Weiss said flatly.

"I was always careful!" Yang said. "I did things the safe way. Got tested and all that too. In fact, we should probably do that soon-ish."

"That's not really necessary," Weiss said.

"It's a pretty good idea to get it done," Yang said. "We can go to separate doctors if you want. You know, so they don't figure things out."

"No, you misunderstand," Weiss said. "I would appreciate you getting tested, but it's not necessary for me."

"Oh," Yang said. Then comprehension dawned on her face. "Oooh!"

Weiss understood now why Yang always seemed to be pushing the physical aspect of their relationship just a little bit faster than she was comfortable with. It was because Yang had done things like this before. Unfortunately, that understanding sent a whole new flood of worries into Weiss. Sex, even the heteronormative variety, had never been something that she'd been comfortable contemplating. She'd always just assumed that sex was something she would naturally figure out after marriage and left it at that. Yang's experience was more than a little bit intimidating. Weiss was very concerned that Yang would be expecting certain things from her in the near future. She definitely wasn't ready for that, and if she was completely honest with herself, she wasn't sure if she ever would be.

Yang suddenly said, "Wow, I've been so stupid."

Weiss glanced up. She was surprised to see that Yang looked like she was also lost in a storm of doubt. Weiss asked, "What do you mean?"

"I didn't know that you were a virgin," Yang said. "I just kind of thought…I don't know why I thought that."

Strangely, seeing the worry on Yang's face made Weiss feel better. She said, "I'm sorry. I should have thought to discuss this sooner."

"I don't think you're the one who should be saying sorry," Yang said. "Look, I know I don't agree with a lot of the traditional values that your family believes in, but there's one thing they probably told you that they're right about. You shouldn't do anything until you feel ready."

"I know," Weiss said. "Thank you, Yang."

"I mean it," Yang said. "Don't let me push you into something that makes you feel uncomfortable."

"I won't," Weiss said. "But there is something I do want you to do."

"Oh yeah? What's that?" Yang asked.

"I want you to kiss me again," Weiss said.

Yang smiled. "I can do that."

Yang leaned in close. Just before her lips met Weiss's, she whispered, "I love you, Weiss."

"I love you too, Yang," Weiss said.

* * *

 _Author's Note: A shout out to Greek Fire and Sunflowyr fans! I like your ships, but they were not to be in this story. Maybe someday I'll get a chance to write something involving one or both of them._

 _As always, I welcome constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave a review. And if you like what you've read, taking the time to favorite and/or follow really helps me out. You can also find me on tumblr (electronicyarn) if you want to send me a message or be notified of updates._


	16. A History Lesson

**Chapter 16: A History Lesson**

The last thing that anyone would suspect about Weiss, hopefully other than the fact that she was dating Yang, was that she didn't always pay attention in class. Specifically, she didn't pay attention to the second half of Professor Port's class where he would inevitably launch into a story about how he single-handedly vanquished some manner of grimm.

After spending all of last semester listening to Port's stories, and even taking notes for fear that a question about them would show up on an exam, Weiss had concluded that they had absolutely nothing to do with his class at all. She'd decided that rather than let the time go to waste, she would use it as a makeshift study hall. She'd even designated it as such when she'd written up her study schedule for the semester.

Weiss was sitting in Professor Port's class right now, and Port had launched into his story early today. He'd only done ten minutes of actual teaching, but that suited Weiss just fine. She had more important things to concern herself with than the grimm. Ordinarily, she would have spent the time quizzing herself in preparation for her next exam or organizing her thoughts on an upcoming essay, but right now she needed to contemplate her relationship with Yang.

Weiss was still surprised by how little had changed since she'd let Ruby and Blake in on the secret. None of the drama she'd been expecting had manifested. Maybe that wasn't so surprising in Blake's case, given what Yang had said about Blake's reading material. However, Weiss was still waiting for Ruby to say something, anything really, about Weiss dating her sister. Maybe Ruby was just waiting for the right moment to bring it up.

Weiss knew that she should be grateful her big announcement to Ruby and Blake had met with such little fanfare. It was nice not having to drive into downtown Vale every time she or Yang wanted to express their feelings. Weiss's study schedule was back on track, and she and Yang finally had their haven where they could freely explore their relationship. Everything seemed to be perfect, which was why Weiss was completely and utterly confused as to why Yang had almost completely backed off on the physical side of things.

Weiss would have been more alarmed if she wasn't absolutely certain that Yang's feelings hadn't changed. To reassure herself of that fact, Weiss put a hand on her pocket. Inside of it, folded up and tucked underneath her scroll, was another letter that Yang had written to her. She always kept one with her at all times as a reminder of Yang's love. Yang was leaving them for her on a regular basis now. They'd really started to accumulate underneath her mattress, but she couldn't bring herself to throw any of them out.

It wasn't just the letters that reassured Weiss either. Yang had made it a point as of late to tell Weiss every day that she loved her. Yang's emotional affection was as plentiful as it had always been, but physically, she'd been handling Weiss with kid gloves. She still had plenty of touches and hugs to offer, but they were more restrained, and her kisses had been downright chaste. It was true that Weiss hadn't been completely comfortable with the pace that Yang had been pushing things, but she liked this new development even less.

Weiss was trying to think of some subtle way to encourage Yang to be more assertive again when a tone sounded overhead, signaling the end of class. Weiss was surprised. She hadn't realized how much time had passed while she'd been thinking. At the head of the classroom, Professor Port was posed like a giant grimm was about to pounce on him. He straightened himself up and said, "Ah ha! It seems that we are out of time. But have no fear! Tomorrow you shall hear the tale of how I managed to save the village from the terrifying band of beringels! Class is dismissed."

All the students started rising from their seats. On Weiss's left, Ruby yawned and stretched. She said, "Ugh. I wish this class wasn't right after lunch. It's so hard to stay awake."

Blake said, "At least Professor Port has never told the same story twice."

"I don't know," Yang said. "I think they're kind of exciting. What do you think, Weiss?"

Weiss hadn't been listening, but hearing Yang say her name was enough to pull her out of her thoughts. She asked, "I'm sorry. What were we talking about?"

Yang chuckled. "Nothing important," she said.

"Alright, Team RWBY!" Ruby said. "It's time to get to the next class! Move out!"

Weiss followed her teammates as they wandered out into the hall. Weiss was frustrated that she hadn't gotten anywhere trying to figure out what to do about Yang. Unless she came up with some answers, it was going to be difficult to concentrate on schoolwork today.

Up ahead, Weiss spotted Professor Oobleck walking out of his classroom. He appeared to be in a hurry, but then again, he always appeared that way. He left his door closed behind him, and there were no students coming or going from his room. Unless Weiss missed her guess, this was his break period, and that gave her an idea.

Weiss stopped in front of the door to Oobleck's classroom and said, "Ruby. Blake."

Everyone turned around to look at Weiss. She said, "Could you two go on ahead? I need to…talk to Yang."

"About what?" Ruby asked.

Blake nudged Ruby.

"Oh! Right. That," Ruby said. "We'll see you guys in the next class then."

"Try not to be late," Blake said with a hint of amusement in her voice. Weiss couldn't tell if she was being snarky or not, but she suspected she was.

Weiss watched Ruby and Blake leave. Yang leaned up against the wall and asked, "So what did you want to talk about, Weissy?"

Weiss didn't say anything. She looked around the hallway to make sure that no one was paying too much attention to her and Yang. Then she opened the door to Ooblek's room just wide enough to allow Yang to enter.

Yang got the message and slipped through the door. Weiss followed right behind her.

Inside the deserted classroom, Yang gave Weiss a smirk. "Why Miss Weiss," she said in a teasing voice. "Whatever are we going to do in here?"

"If you're suggesting that I brought you here to make out, that's not what this is about," Weiss said, but then she added, "Actually, I suppose it is."

"Okay. Now I'm confused," Yang said with a laugh.

"It's just that you've seemed…reserved lately," Weiss said.

"I have?" Yang asked. "I'm not trying to be. I thought I was making it pretty clear how I feel about you."

"You have," Weiss said. "That's not what I mean."

"Well what do you mean?" Yang asked.

Weiss found herself at a loss for words. The physical side of her relationship with Yang was still something that she wasn't completely comfortable speaking openly about. It was especially aggravating since she wanted to talk to Yang about why she _wasn't_ pursuing it more aggressively. Weiss was well aware of the hypocrisy on her part.

Eventually, Weiss said, "You've just seemed less eager…physically."

Yang's eyes lit up with understanding. She suddenly looked a little nervous. "Oh. Yeah, uh…" she said.

A thought dawned on Weiss. "Is it because I'm a…" Weiss faltered on the next word, but she forced herself to say it, "…virgin?"

"Yeah, it kind of is," Yang said.

Weiss felt foolish for not realizing it before. Her expression grew dark. She loved Yang, but she was afraid that she'd never be able to express that love in a way that would satisfy Yang.

"Well I'm sorry," Weiss said. "I can't…I don't…I'm not ready for that!"

"What?! No, no, no!" Yang said. "That's not it at all!"

"Then what is it?" Weiss asked.

Yang sighed. She started pacing back and forth. "There was this girl…" she started.

"Go on," Weiss said.

"Her name was Rosa. It was two or three years ago now. We'd been dating a long time," Yang said. A wistful expression crossed her face. "I liked her. A lot. We weren't really in love. I didn't even know what love was back then. But we had something close to it."

"What happened?" Weiss asked.

"I tried to push her farther than she wanted to go," Yang said. "We never actually slept together, but I wanted us to. I figured it was just something you did with someone you liked that much. I was so stupid. Things ended badly, with a lot of hurt feelings on both sides."

"I had no idea," Weiss said.

"I got worried when you told me you were a virgin," Yang said. "I didn't want to end up doing the same thing to you."

"Yang…" Weiss said.

Suddenly, Yang stopped pacing and looked Weiss straight in the eye. "I'm not going to pretend like I wouldn't want to, but if you don't want to then we're not going to. It's not worth losing you over. You're too important to me!"

"Thank you, Yang," Weiss said softly. She felt the burden of her worries lighten. "I'm not adverse to…further exploring our relationship. We'll just have to take it slow."

"I'll do my best," Yang said.

"Yang…" Weiss said. "I trust you. You've grown as a person since you've come to Beacon."

"Yeah, I guess I have," Yang said, sounding more confident.

"Now that we've had that discussion," Weiss said. "You and I are girlfriends, and we've snuck into an empty classroom. I believe tradition demands that we kiss at least once."

Yang smirked and said, "I wouldn't want to go against tradition."

"Liar," Weiss quipped.

"Alright, you got me," Yang said. "But I sure wouldn't want to go against that tradition."

"That I believe," Weiss said.

Yang smiled sweetly. She leaned in close and pressed her lips into Weiss's.

Suddenly, Weiss pulled back. "Wait," she said. She pulled Yang by the hand over to one of the desks. Then she sat down in it, looked up at Yang, and said, "Now kiss me."

Yang's smile turned into a full-blown grin. "Anything you say, Miss Weiss."

Yang's arms curled around Weiss from above, and she kissed her on the lips. Weiss's eyes fluttered closed. Yang kissing her while standing over her was quickly becoming one of her favorite things. She opened her mouth and let Yang in deeper. The fire was back in Yang's kisses. Weiss hadn't realized until right now how much she'd missed it.

Yang finally broke the kiss, but she kept Weiss in her embrace. She tucked her head into the crook of Weiss's neck and whispered, "I love you, Weiss. So much."

"I love you too, Yang," Weiss whispered back.

Eventually, Yang let go of Weiss. She looked her over with a smile. Then she said, "Slow, huh. I can get behind that. It's too bad it's not wintertime though."

"Why is that?" Weiss asked.

"Because winter is the best time of the year for cuddling," Yang said.

"Cuddling?" Weiss asked.

"Yeah!" Yang sat down on the desk next to Weiss and put her arm around her shoulders. "Just think about it. You and me sitting together under a cozy blanket. Holding each other close together. Maybe we'd even steal a kiss or two."

Weiss felt herself getting warm at the thought. She squirmed as she resisted the urge to snuggle closer to Yang. "That sounds…lovely," she said.

"I guess nothing's stopping us from cuddling in the summer though," Yang said.

Weiss opened her mouth to speak again, but she was interrupted by a tone sounding overhead. She jumped off the desk and exclaimed, "We're late for class!"

"Whoops. I guess we are," Yang said.

"I've never been late to class before!" Weiss said. She took off like a rocket for the door. She just knew that Blake wasn't going to let her hear the end of this.

* * *

Despite being late for the first time in her life, the rest of Weiss's day had gone considerably smoother after she'd cleared the air with Yang. She'd attended the rest of her classes and had been able to give them her full attention. She'd done her homework like she'd planned, and she'd even made it to bed on time. Everything had gone perfectly; that was until now.

The lights were off in Team RWBY's dorm room and the curtains were drawn, but Weiss was wide awake. She was lying flat on her back, watching the gentle swaying of the bunk bed suspended above her. It was unusual for her to have trouble sleeping, and like most things these days, her insomnia was all Yang's fault. The moment Weiss had crawled into bed, Yang's talk of cuddling had popped into her head, and Weiss hadn't been able to stop thinking about it.

Weiss rolled over onto her side. Even in the dark, she could make out the silhouette of Yang's bed. Yang was fast asleep if her snoring was anything to go by. Weiss imagined Yang sprawled out on her bed, with her golden hair splayed across her pillow. Yang often kicked her covers off of herself in her sleep, and in Weiss's mind's eye, she saw Yang lying there in her form-fitting tank top and boy shorts. In her vision, one of the straps of Yang's top had slid down her shoulder. Yang's bared skin teased Weiss with a hint of the worldly delights that could be hers.

Weiss slammed her eyes shut when she realized what she was doing. Yang may have been her girlfriend, but she was not going to undress her in her mind like some pervert. Weiss rolled onto her other side and put her back to Yang. She tried her best to put the notion of cuddling, and anything else inappropriate, out of her head.

Weiss tried again to go to sleep. The idea of cuddling with Yang tonight was a silly one anyway. Although, Yang would obviously be willing. And it would be a new and exciting avenue of their relationship to explore. It was even one that Weiss was sure she'd be comfortable with. Maybe it wasn't such a silly idea after all.

Weiss opened her eyes and looked back over her shoulder. If she was going to do this, she needed to do it quickly before she thought better of it. Somehow, she needed to get Yang's attention. She thought about calling out to Yang, but Yang was a heavy sleeper. Weiss knew she'd wake up Blake long before Yang, and she'd just as soon not have to explain to Blake what she was up to.

Weiss looked for something to toss at Yang, but there wasn't anything within reach. Lacking any better options, she pointed a pair of fingers at Yang. She conjured up a tiny, red glyph in the vicinity of Yang's head. Weiss concentrated and detonated the glyph with the bare minimum amount of force that she could.

There was a dim flash of light and a tiny popping sound. Yang snorted loudly, causing Weiss to cringe. Fortunately, neither Blake nor Ruby stirred. Yang sat up in bed and muttered, "Wha…."

Yang's head lethargically swung around the room, trying to see what it was that had woken her up. When Yang looked in Weiss's direction, Weiss frantically motioned for her to come close.

Yang blinked as her sleep-addled mind tried to figure out what was going on. Then she slowly climbed down from her bed and shambled over to Weiss. She looked at Weiss with bleary eyes, and asked, "Weiss? What is it?"

"I want to cuddle," Weiss whispered.

Weiss had been expecting a question or joke or protest or something, but Yang just yawned and said, "Okay."

Yang lazily lifted Weiss's covers. Only then did it sink in for Weiss what she'd just requested. She wasn't about the change her mind now, however. She scooted over to give Yang room.

The mattress shifted as Yang settled in. Weiss ended up on the far side of the bed facing the wall. She had no clue what she was supposed to do. She was just about to ask Yang for instructions on the proper cuddling technique when Yang's arms wrapped around her and pulled her in tight. Weiss drew in a sharp breath as she felt Yang press into her back.

In moments, Yang was asleep again. Weiss could feel Yang's breath tickling the top of her head, just like she could feel the warmth radiating off of Yang. Weiss slowly let these strange new sensations sink in. She didn't have the words to describe her emotions right now. Her and Yang lying together like this felt right, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Weiss let out a soft sigh. Any lingering traces of tension melted out of her muscles as she relaxed completely. It was strange to think that not so long ago she'd recoiled at Yang's slightest touch. If only she'd known sooner what she'd been denying herself. There was a paradise down here on Remnant, and Weiss had found it in Yang's arms.

* * *

 _Author's Note: I don't really have much to say about this chapter other than cuddles are nice. There needs to be more fanfic with cuddling in it._

 _As always, I welcome constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave a review. And if you like what you've read, taking the time to favorite and/or follow really helps me out. You can also find me on tumblr (electronicyarn) if you want to send me a message or be notified of updates._


	17. Flying Close to the Sun

**Chapter 17: Flying Close to the Sun**

"Weiiissy," a honeyed voice called out. Weiss stirred in her sleep. She slowly started waking up. Even with her eyes closed, she could tell it was morning. That was a shame. Her bed had never felt so comfortable before, and she certainly didn't remember her pillow being so soft.

"Weiss," the voice said again, more insistently this time.

Weiss reluctantly opened her eyes. The first thing she became aware of was that her head was resting on Yang's shoulder. At first Weiss was very confused as to why Yang was in her bed. Her first instinct was to scold Yang for her presumption, but then she remembered that this had all been her idea.

Weiss noticed that she and Yang had shifted positions during the night. Yang was lying on her back, and Weiss's arms and legs were wrapped tightly around her. Weiss was a little embarrassed at how desperately it looked like she was clinging to Yang, but she didn't feel any need to let go.

"Well good morning," Yang said. "It sure was a nice surprise waking up in your bed this morning."

"A surprise? Didn't you remember last night?" Weiss asked.

"I was mostly asleep when you demanded cuddles," Yang said. "I thought the whole thing was a dream."

"We should keep our voices down," Weiss whispered. "We don't want to wake up Ruby or Blake."

"We're already awake," Blake's voice said from across the room.

Weiss's head shot up in alarm. She saw not only Blake but also Ruby sitting on Blake's bed. They were both watching Weiss and Yang like the two of them were putting on some kind of show.

Weiss's face turned a deep shade of red. She scrambled to untangle herself from Yang. However, her efforts to get out of bed were hampered by the fact that she and Yang were both wrapped up in the covers. Yang was absolutely no help at all. She just lay there, laughing herself silly.

Weiss got stuck more than once, but she finally clawed her way out of bed. One of her feet got caught up in the sheets however, and she had to hop around on her other foot until she could free it. Yang apparently found this even more hilarious, and she laughed even louder.

"Oh be quiet!" Weiss yelled at Yang. Then she turned to Ruby and Blake. "And you two!" she said. Ruby and Blake were still in their sleepwear, but they'd clearly been awake for at least a little while. "What were you two doing, watching us like…perverts!?"

"After what I just saw, I don't think we're the perverts," Blake said.

"Be nice, Blake," Ruby said. She turned to Weiss and explained, "You guys looked so cozy! We didn't want to disturb you."

"Humph," Weiss said. She held her head high and walked over to the closet. "If everyone is done having fun at my expense, I'm going to get ready for the day."

Weiss opened the closet and started pulling out her school uniform.

"Hey, Weiss!" Yang called out. "Want me to help you get dressed?"

Weiss's blush returned. She spun around, clutching her uniform to her chest. "No!" she shouted, louder than she'd intended. Maybe she would've been calmer if the idea wasn't so appealing.

Blake asked, "Ruby, can't your sister control her urges?"

"Actually, she kind of is," Ruby said. "At least for her anyway."

Weiss was a bit alarmed that Ruby sounded dead serious. She decided that she'd put up with quite enough for one morning. She hastily grabbed what she needed from the closet and retreated into the tiny powder room that was attached to Team RWBY's dorm.

Finally safe from her teammates, Weiss let out a sigh of relief. She took her time getting dressed. Ordinarily, she tried not to occupy the powder room for too long so that everyone got a chance to use it, but if her teammates were going to make fun of her, then today she was going to take as much time as she pleased. Although, deep down Weiss knew that the teasing had been in good fun.

After Weiss had put the finishing touches on her makeup, she looked herself over in the mirror one last time to make sure that everything was perfect. Satisfied with her appearance, she tucked all her makeup back into its case and finally left the powder room.

Back in the dorm proper, Ruby was lounging around on Blake's bed. She was still dressed in her pajamas, but she had her uniform in her lap. Yang and Blake were nowhere to be seen. Presumably, they'd headed off to the showers like they did every morning.

"You all done in there?" Ruby asked. She popped off the bed and threw her uniform over her shoulder.

"Yes," Weiss said.

Ruby started heading to the powder room, but Weiss suddenly said, "Ruby?"

"Yeah?" Ruby asked.

"You've never really said much of anything about me dating your sister. Is it something you're okay with?" Weiss asked. She'd been meaning to discuss this with Ruby for a while now. This seemed like as good a time as any.

"Sure. It makes Yang happy," Ruby said nonchalantly. "It is kind of gross though."

Weiss was thunderstruck. That had been the last thing she'd expected from Ruby. She said, "You've had to have known your sister was…not straight for a long time. How can you still find that fact that she's dating a woman gross?"

"What?! No, no! I didn't mean it like that!" Ruby said. "I just meant dating in general. I don't really get it."

"You don't?" Weiss asked.

"Nope," Ruby said.

"There's never been any boy or…girl that's caught your eye?" Weiss asked.

"Nope," Ruby repeated.

"Maybe you'll understand it when you're older," Weiss said.

Ruby gave Weiss and incredulous look. "Weiss, I'm sixteen," she said.

"That's a good point," Weiss said. Ruby was the perfect age to be obsessing over boys, or so the stereotype went. It seemed that neither of the Rose-Xiao Long sisters did things the conventional way, but that hardly should have surprised Weiss.

"Look, Weiss," Ruby said. "You really do make Yang happy. And I'm pretty sure she makes you happy. Why wouldn't I be okay with it?"

"Thank you, Ruby," Weiss said. She felt better knowing that she had Ruby's approval. It was far more than she would ever get from her own family.

"You know," Ruby said. "I've seen Yang go through a lot of girlfriends and boyfriends. But I really think this time is different."

"Why do you think that?" Weiss asked.

"I don't know." Ruby shrugged. "It's just the way Yang's been talking. She keeps saying how she thinks you're 'the one'."

Weiss's mouth fell open.

"Well, I better go get dressed. I don't want to miss breakfast!" Ruby said. And with that, she disappeared into the powder room.

Weiss was left standing alone and completely stunned. Her mind struggled to process this new bombshell that Ruby had inadvertently dropped. She didn't know if she should feel elated or terrified. Perhaps the answer was both.

* * *

Paying attention in class today had been nightmarishly difficult for Weiss. Fortunately, she'd managed to make it to the end of the school day. Unfortunately however, that meant that she no longer had classes to distract her. As she walked back to the dorm room, she knew that the time had come. She could no longer put off thinking about where Yang fit into her future.

Ironically, the situation might have been less worrisome if it was more complicated, but it wasn't complicated in the slightest. At the end of the day it all boiled down to this: either Weiss would accept her responsibility as scion of the Schnee Family, or she would continue to date Yang.

On the outset, it seemed like there was nothing preventing Weiss from one day running the Schnee Dust Company while continuing to see Yang in secret, but Weiss would not do that for several reasons. First of all, she would be expected to take a husband. The Schnee Family had to have a next generation after all, and she would need an heir of her own. Weiss respected Yang too much to put her in the position of being a mistress. Secondly, if, or more likely, when the press caught wind of the affair, they would have an absolute field day. The public image Weiss intended to cultivate would be ruined, and poor Yang would be dragged whole hog into the media spotlight.

Any way Weiss looked at it, she simply didn't see any room for middle ground. She would either become the head of the Schnee Family, or she would become Yang's—Weiss hesitated to even think the word—wife. Weiss knew that it was far, far too early in the relationship to be contemplating marriage, but circumstances forced her to at least take it into consideration. She'd promised herself that dating Yang would be a serious endeavor, and marriage was the ultimate goal of a serious relationship.

Weiss knew which choice she should make. It would be insane to give up the power that the Schnee Dust Company commanded. More to the point, it had been Weiss's lifelong dream to forge a legacy as great as her grandfather's, although at the moment, she was having trouble remembering why.

Despite all the embarrassment that Weiss had endured this morning, waking up next to Yang had felt so right that she was already troubled by the thought of having to give it up. Weiss was forced to ask herself what good power and wealth were if you had no one to enjoy them with. But then again, what good was a life with the person you loved if you couldn't provide for them, much less yourself?

Weiss knew that she should discuss all of this with Yang, but she didn't have the slightest idea of how to go about it. What would she even say? Telling Yang that she'd have to give up everything to be with her would put Yang in an incredibly unfair position. Even worse, Yang might decide that she wouldn't force Weiss to make that decision and call off their relationship.

All Weiss was certain of was that she didn't have an answer to her dilemma. She wasn't sure that there even was an answer. She resigned herself to the fact that for now she'd just have to play things by ear. She hated not having a plan, but she wasn't willing to give up what she had with Yang just because of what the future might bring, no matter how likely it was.

Weiss realized that she'd been walking in circles around the outside of her dormitory for the past several minutes. She decided she'd wasted enough time for now and went on inside.

When Weiss got to Team RWBY's door, she was incensed to find that someone had left a sock hanging on the doorknob. Who would be rude enough to do that? Weiss's only clue was that the sock was orange, although that didn't really narrow it down much.

Weiss reached out to pull the offending sock off the doorknob when the door to Team JNPR's room opened behind her. Nora's head popped out and she shouted, "Don't touch it!"

Weiss squeaked as she jumped in alarm. She spun around and shouted, "Nora!"

"Weiss!" Nora shouted back, still with just her head poking out of the door.

"Why am I not supposed to touch the sock?" Weiss asked.

"You don't go pulling socks off of doorknobs in a dorm!" Nora said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Weiss didn't even know how to respond to Nora.

Nora's eyes flicked back and forth between Weiss and the sock several times. Then her eyes lit up and the strangest smile crossed her face. "Oh! Does that mean you two are _together_ together-together now?" she asked.

"Us two?" Weiss asked worriedly. "What do you mean?"

"You know," Nora said. "You and…some person. With blonde hair. And lavender eyes. And really nice—"

"Stop!" Weiss said. She sighed and asked, "Does everybody know?"

"Just me!" Nora said. "And maybe Blake. She's been acting kind of suspicious lately."

"You didn't tell Ren did you?" Weiss asked.

"No way! It's a seeecret!" Nora said. "Ren would never be able to keep quiet about it! He's such a blabbermouth."

"I…appreciate your discretion," Weiss said.

"No problem!" Nora said. "It's good you're together-together with…someone. You're a lot nicer than you used to be. Maybe people'll even stop calling you the Ice Queen!"

"Thanks…" Weiss said sardonically.

"You're welcome!" Nora said cheerfully.

Weiss said, "I should be going."

"Okay!" Nora said. Her eyes glanced down at the sock one last time. She gave Weiss an exaggerated wink and then slunk back into her team's room, ever so slowly closing the door.

Weiss shook her head. It was amazing, but Nora had even less tact than Yang did. Nora hadn't been entirely wrong though. Weiss knew she'd come a long way since she'd started attending Beacon, and a lot of that had been Yang's doing. Simply put, Yang had made her a better person. Weiss couldn't help but smile thinking about it.

Weiss turned back to Team RWBY's door. She gingerly gripped the doorknob through the sock—who knew where it had been—and let herself into the room.

Weiss stopped in her tracks the moment she got inside. The door quietly slid shut behind her. Yang was draped across Blake's bed with her head propped up on her arm. She was strategically lying right where Weiss's eyes would naturally go when she'd come through the door, and she had on nothing more than her crop top, short shorts, and an absolutely smoldering smile.

"Hello there, Weissy," Yang said in a seductive tone. "I've been waiting for you."

Weiss's mouth opened but no sound came out. She found herself unable to do anything but stare at the gloriously beautiful creature who was putting herself on display.

"You've been a very good girl lately. I was thinking that you deserve a little reward," Yang said. She languidly stretched in a matter that just so happened to thrust her chest forward and show off her long legs.

"Wha-what about Ruby and Blake?" Weiss managed to stammer.

"Oh don't worry about them," Yang said. She swung her legs off the bed and rose to her feet. "I've made arrangements. We've got the room all. To. Ourselves."

Yang slowly walked toward Weiss, exaggerating the swaying of her hips. Weiss just stood there like a deer caught in the headlights. This was not a side of Yang she'd ever seen before. She didn't know what was happening, but she was too enthralled to care.

Yang sauntered right up to Weiss and planted a searing kiss on her lips. Caught up in the moment, Weiss wrapped her arms around Yang. Her fingertips met bare skin rather than the usual material of Yang's jacket. The sensation was downright erotic, and Weiss felt her temperature rising at an alarming rate. Her hands found Yang's crop top, the only thing they could cling to, and she held on for dear life.

By the time Yang broke the kiss, Weiss's lungs were screaming for air. Weiss didn't let go of Yang. She was too captivated by Yang's shimmering eyes. The moment hardly seemed real. Yang had certainly taken Weiss's encouragement to heart. Weiss appreciated Yang's effort, but she knew she needed to stop this before it went too much further. As dizzyingly wonderful as it was, she wasn't ready to follow it through to its logical conclusion.

"Yang—" Weiss started.

Yang put a finger on Weiss's mouth to silence her. "I know what you're going to say, and this isn't what you're thinking."

Weiss looked at Yang with confusion.

Yang lowered her finger. "This isn't about us sleeping together. It's about you."

"I don't understand," Weiss said.

Yang pulled away from Weiss and walked over to the writing desk. She grabbed the chair there and then set it down next to Weiss's bed. "Have a seat," she said.

Weiss was still confused, but she did as Yang asked.

Yang sat down on the bed across from Weiss. She took Weiss's hand in her own and said, "I know how scary it can be to date someone who's more experienced than you. I've been thinking about it a lot, and I don't want you to have to go through some of the same mistakes I did. So this is your chance to explore at your own pace. You get to call all the shots. I'll go as far as you want. Even if it's not very far at all."

"You couldn't have explained that to me first?" Weiss asked.

Yang chuckled. "I figured you'd be more open to the idea if I gave you a little taste of things to come."

"In other words, you were trying to seduce me," Weiss said.

"Trying? I'm pretty sure I succeeded," Yang said.

"And what makes you say that?" Weiss asked.

"Well if I didn't, I can always go put the rest of my clothes back on," Yang said.

Weiss scowled at Yang, but before she could stop herself, her eyes roamed back over Yang's body.

Yang grinned knowingly at Weiss. She patted Weiss's hand. "If you really don't want to do this, it's okay, but I thought it'd be a fun way for you to get more comfortable with things."

Weiss took a moment to consider Yang's offer. She had to admit, even after she'd given Yang permission to once again push the physical aspect of their relationship forward, she'd had no idea what it would entail. Whatever activities encompassed the middle ground between making out and sex were a complete mystery to her. It was like she had a mental block that prevented her from thinking past where Yang had already taken her. Maybe deep down she still believed that desiring Yang was shameful. It wasn't just because Yang was a woman, but because Weiss had always seen physical love as completely divorced from emotional love. She didn't like that she felt that way, but she knew she did.

"Well, Weiss? Do you want to do this?" Yang asked. She didn't sound expectant or impatient, just hopeful.

"I do," Weiss said softly.

Yang smiled at Weiss and squeezed her hand reassuringly. Then she let go and reclined back on Weiss's bed. "I'm all yours," she said.

At first, Weiss didn't get up from her chair. She just sat there looking Yang over. Certainly, it was something she'd done before, but not like this. She wasn't in public, there was no chance that someone would walk in on them, and she didn't have to be worried about getting caught gawking. Yang wanted her to look, and that simple fact made Weiss's whole body tingle.

Weiss almost couldn't believe how beautiful Yang was. Even for a huntress-in-training she was in ridiculously good shape. Everywhere Weiss's eyes went there was something to appreciate, from the curve of Yang's figure to her perfectly formed muscles, her flawless skin, and her sparkling eyes. Yang was just so gorgeous.

Weiss started feeling foolish for doing nothing more than look, enjoyable though it was. She got off her chair and sat on the bed next to Yang. She lifted her hand and tentatively placed it on Yang's belly. Yang's skin was unusually warm, although not in an unpleasant way. Weiss had noticed it before the many times that Yang had held her close, but now that Yang wasn't distracting her with kisses, it was even more obvious. Weiss wondered if it was a side effect of Yang's semblance.

Weiss could feel Yang's hard muscles resting just beneath her soft skin. The contrast was oddly appealing. Weiss ran her hand up Yang's abs, marveling at the feel. She stopped just as she got to Yang's crop top and pulled her hand away.

"What's the matter?" Yang asked. "Not having fun?"

"No, I am. But…" Weiss trailed off. She swallowed her pride and said, "But I'm not sure what I should be doing."

"Well you were pretty close there to being the envy of half the school," Yang said, plucking at the bottom of her crop top. She winked at Weiss and added, "But if that's what you want, you're going to have to take the plunge yourself."

Weiss's cheeks flushed. She knew exactly what Yang was suggesting. She hadn't even considered it a possibility until the moment Yang had said it, but now that Yang had put the idea in her head, she was mortified by just how much yearning it filled her with.

"Weiss…" Yang said with amusement in her voice. "There's no reason to be embarrassed."

"I'm not embarrassed! I'm—" Weiss said. She cut herself off when she realized that Yang wouldn't believe her denials. She let out a breath and reached for Yang's top.

Yang sat up and lifted her arms, allowing Weiss to pull her crop top up and over her head. Underneath, Yang had on a lacy, strapless, black bra. Weiss swallowed hard as she noticed the alluring way the bra cupped Yang's amble breasts.

A thought suddenly occurred to Weiss. Yang's bra didn't look like everyday wear but rather more like something she'd save for special occasions. Weiss said to Yang, "You knew I was eventually going to do that. Didn't you?"

"I had a pretty good idea," Yang said.

Weiss wasn't sure she liked being so predictable, but right now she was too distracted looking at Yang to care. Even knowing she was gay, it was still alarming just how deliciously attractive Yang's breasts were. Weiss was a bit worried that if she didn't watch herself she might drool or do something else unbearably undignified.

"Do you like what you see?" Yang asked, although it sounded like she already knew the answer.

"Yes," Weiss whispered.

"You and I are going to have so much fun when you're ready," Yang said.

Weiss's expression turned longing. She wanted to be ready, for Yang's sake if not her own. Even now she felt the urge to go further, but she wasn't going to take that step until she could do so without reservation. She owed that to herself, and to Yang.

"Thank you for this, Yang," Weiss said.

"Done already?" Yang asked.

"Yes. But I wouldn't be adverse to…um…" Weiss lowered her voice and whispered, "…doing something like this again in the future."

"Anytime you want," Yang said. "But I bet I could talk you into some cuddles right now."

Weiss nodded. She let Yang pull her in close. The two of them lay down on the bed, Yang on her back, and Weiss with her head on Yang's shoulder. Even though they were just lying there, Weiss felt like this was the most intimate thing she'd ever done. She could feel Yang's love radiating out from her like it was a physical force. Maybe physical desire and emotional love weren't as far separated from one another as Weiss had thought.

"I love you, Yang," Weiss whispered.

"I love you too, Weiss," Yang said.

* * *

 _Author's Note: Yes, Ruby is sixteen not fifteen in this story. Why? Because that makes Weiss and Yang eighteen. Why does that matter? After reading this chapter, I'm sure you can guess._

 _As I've said elsewhere, I prefer to write Ruby as asexual/aromantic. I'm excited to finally have a small opportunity to do that._

 _Nora is really hard to write! Especially when she doesn't have her giant hammer to do the talking for her. However, when you need to lighten the mood, accept no substitutes._

 _As always, I welcome constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave a review. And if you like what you've read, taking the time to favorite and/or follow really helps me out. You can also find me on tumblr (electronicyarn) if you want to send me a message or be notified of updates._


	18. Vytality

**Chapter 18: Vytality**

Summer had come to an end, giving way to fall, and with the changing of the season, the Vytal Festival had finally arrived. Weiss almost couldn't believe it. It felt like the semester had just begun, but at the same time, so much had happened to her in those scant few months that it might as well have been a lifetime ago.

Weiss was standing in the middle of the festival grounds. All around her was a veritable city of booths, tents, and other temporary structures, playing host to everything from traditional festival games to merchants selling every type of good imaginable. Just thinking about the amount of planning that went into making the Festival so successful and so spectacular year after year made Weiss giddy.

As impressive as the festival grounds were, however, the real centerpiece of the event was always the tournament. As expected, Team RWBY had won the honor of being one of the teams to represent Beacon. They'd fought well in the first round and had quite handily defeated Team ABRN from Haven.

Weiss hoped that Father had seen her team's match, and she especially hoped that he watched the upcoming doubles round. She and Yang would be fighting against members from Atlas's own Team FNKI. Weiss couldn't think of a better way to demonstrate to Father how much she'd learn at her "foreign school" than by defeating an Atlesian team in the most prestigious tournament in the world.

After Team RWBY's first round fight had ended, Yang, with some help from Blake, had convinced Ruby to let her and Weiss go off on their own. Weiss had understood Yang's unspoken intention to go on an impromptu date right here at the Festival. The two of them had managed to squeeze in a few dates between the museum fundraiser and now, but they'd all been rather low-key. They were overdue for something a bit more exciting, and the Festival certainly didn't lack for excitement.

Yang had vanished almost immediately after she and Weiss had gotten to the festival grounds. She'd gone off to, as she'd put it, "go scope things out". Weiss wasn't concerned by Yang's sudden disappearance. She knew that Yang would be back shortly, and Yang's absence gave Weiss an opportunity to do some scouting of her own. The Festival always had a few concerts every year, and Weiss thought it would be fun to go to one with Yang. She had a pretty good idea of what kind of music Yang liked. Maybe she could surprise Yang and get tickets to one of them.

Weiss was just about to see if she could find an information booth when she heard a voice call out, "Hey there, Weiss."

Weiss glanced in the direction of the voice and saw Neptune walking up with Sun in tow.

"Hello, Neptune. It's good to see you," Weiss said. Then she added in a curt tone, "Sun."

"Sup, Ice Queen," Sun said.

"Please. Ignore him," Neptune said, "I watched your first match. You and your team did really well."

"Thank you," Weiss said.

"I haven't really had a chance to talk to you since the dance," Neptune said.

"I've been busy preparing for the Vytal Festival," Weiss said. It was true, although she wasn't about to tell Neptune that she'd been far more busy dating Yang.

"That's cool," Neptune said. "My team's been training hard too. Although, I managed to find time to take a few dancing lessons."

Sun said, "Not that they've been doing him any good."

"Dude!" Neptune said to Sun.

"Neptune…" Weiss said, sighing internally. She really should have had this conversation with him sooner. "If you've been taking lessons on my behalf, that's hardly necessary. I apologize for walking out on you during the dance. It was nothing you did. I was…going through some personal issues."

"Anything we can help with?" Neptune asked.

Weiss cringed inside. This conversation would have been far less awkward if Neptune was less of a gentleman. Weiss said, "I appreciate the offer, but no."

"Okay," Neptune said. "You'd probably rather go to your team for help with stuff like that anyway."

"My team has been very supportive," Weiss said.

"Duh," Sun said. "That's what they're there for!"

Weiss didn't think she'd ever agree with Sun on anything, but in this case, he was right.

Neptune said, "That's great to hear. So as long as we're all here at the Festival, do you want to—?"

"Weiss! Weiiiss!" an excited voice interrupted Neptune.

Everyone turned and saw Yang bounding up. She jogged right up to Weiss, apparently oblivious to Neptune and Sun's presence, and said, "I got it all figured out! They've got some really awesome stuff here. This is going to be so much fun!"

"Hello, Yang," Weiss said exasperatedly. "Don't be rude. Say hello to Neptune and Sun too."

Yang looked up and finally noticed that Weiss wasn't alone. "Oh! Hi guys!" she said.

"Hello," Neptune said.

"Hey, Yang," Sun said.

Neptune cleared his throat and said, "As I was about to say. We're all here at the Festival now. Do you want to go see if there's anything cool happening?"

"Actually," Weiss said. "I already agreed to walk the festival grounds with Yang."

"Oh yeah?" Neptune asked. He looked expectant.

"Alone," Weiss clarified.

"Oh," Neptune said. "Maybe next time then?"

"Maybe," Weiss said. "Come along, Yang."

"Anything you say, Miss Weiss," Yang said. She gave Neptune a wink and then followed Weiss as she headed for a row of festival booths.

Just before Weiss and Yang were out of earshot, they heard Sun say, "Better luck asking Weiss out next time. I'm telling you, man. She and Yang are like, dating or something."

"Yeah right," Neptune said. "Maybe in your fantasies."

Weiss grimaced, but she kept walking. Yang, however, giggled.

"Yang…" Weiss said with a sigh.

"What? It's not like anyone's going to believe Sun," Yang said.

"Nora might," Weiss muttered.

"Oh, so she does know?" Yang asked.

"Yes," Weiss said.

"I was pretty sure she did, but I can never tell with her," Yang said. "Poor Neptune. At least this time it's someone hitting on you, not me."

"I'd rather not think about it," Weiss said.

"In that case, I found this place that's selling these huge bowls of noodles!" Yang said. "It's about lunchtime, and I figured that'd be a fun place to start."

"Lead the way," Weiss said.

Yang took Weiss on a circuitous route through the festival grounds. They ended up at a booth run by an elderly shopkeeper. He had a mop of shoulder-length gray hair despite being completely bald on the top of his head. Weiss thought he looked familiar, but she couldn't remember where she'd seen him before.

"Two bowls of the regular, please!" Yang said as she and Weiss sat down.

"Mm-hmm," the shopkeeper said. In no time flat he prepared two bowls of noodles and placed them in front of Yang and Weiss. They were indeed huge like Yang had said. Weiss wasn't sure if she'd be able to finish all of hers, but Yang would probably eat whatever she didn't. Some days Weiss wondered how Yang managed to maintain a healthy weight.

Weiss pulled out her card and handed it to the shopkeeper without bothering to look at the price. She picked up her fork and was just about to start eating when her card was thrown back at her with enough force to lodge it into the booth's wooden countertop.

Weiss looked up and saw the shopkeeper pointing at his cash register. The word "DECLINED" was flashing on it in big, red letters.

"What? How could my card be declined?" Weiss asked, utterly confused.

"It's no problem," Yang said. "I can get it. It's way past my turn anyway."

"That's hardly necessary," Weiss said. "I'm sure if he runs my card again it will go through."

"Naw. I got this," Yang said. She pulled out her wallet. The shopkeeper watched intently as Yang counted out her money. Unfortunately, she ran out of bills just a few Lien short of the total. The shopkeeper did not look happy.

"Please, just run my card again," Weiss said to the shopkeeper. He didn't look very optimistic, but he did as Weiss asked. Unfortunately, her card was declined again.

"I don't understand," Weiss said.

"Wait, wait!" Yang said, rooting around in her pockets. She came up with a handful of coins. Combined with the bills from her wallet, they were just enough to cover the cost of the food.

The shopkeeper nodded and gathered up the mess of money into his hands.

"I even get some change back," Yang said, slipping a ten Sien coin, the only bit of money she had left, into her pocket.

"I'm sorry about that," Weiss said. She was horribly embarrassed by not being able to pay for lunch.

"Pff. Don't worry about it," Yang said. She leaned in close and whispered into Weiss's ear. "I can finally say that _I_ took _you_ out on a date."

Weiss smiled. Looking at the situation that way did take some of the sting out of it. Although, she'd still have to call her banker later to figure out what was going on.

Yang started snarfing down her noodles like she hadn't eaten in days. Weiss started eating too, albeit at a much slower pace and in a more polite manner. Even being subjected to Beacon's cafeteria day in and day out, with its feeding frenzy atmosphere and frequent food fights, hadn't broken Weiss of her table manners.

Weiss had only half-finished her noodles by the time that Yang was slurping up the last of hers, but that was okay. Weiss was full enough already.

As Weiss had predicted, Yang asked, "Are you going to eat the rest of those?"

"Help yourself," Weiss said, pushing her bowl over to Yang.

Yang looked so happy with Weiss's gift of noodles that they might as well have been worth considerably more than their weight in gold. She started eating them with just as much gusto as she'd eaten her own.

Weiss chuckled as she watched Yang go at her food. By rights, Weiss should have been disgusted by Yang's table manners, but she actually found them cute in a way. It was as sure a sign as any that she was in love. It was too bad she couldn't tell Yang that in public.

Suddenly, an idea came to Weiss. "Do you know what we need?" she asked.

"Mmph?" Yang asked through a mouthful of noodles.

"Swallow before you speak," Weiss said. Her tolerance for Yang's poor etiquette only went so far.

Yang practically inhaled her noodles and swallowed them all in one big gulp. "What do we need?" she asked.

"We need a secret sign," Weiss said.

"Like for what?" Yang asked.

"To tell each other…." Weiss glanced over at the shopkeeper. He was busy cleaning some dishes with his back turned. Weiss mouthed to Yang, _I love you_.

"Oh! Yeah! That'd be awesome!" Yang said. She set her fork down and held up both of her hands in the shape of a heart. "How about this?"

"That's far too obvious," Weiss said.

Yang scratched her chin as she thought. Then she said, "How about this?" She tapped her lips with her finger. "You know, because that's the first place you—"

"I remember!" Weiss interrupted. She didn't need Yang to be bringing up their first kiss in public. "It's still too obvious."

"Then what about…" Yang tapped her cheek twice. "…that?"

"That might work," Weiss said.

"We better test it out," Yang said. "Hey, Weiss!" She tapped her cheek twice again.

Even though the gesture had been meaningless seconds ago, now it made Weiss's heart skip a beat. She smiled sweetly and repeated the gesture back at Yang.

Yang grinned. "I think it works."

"I have to agree," Weiss said.

"So you want to get out of here?" Yang asked.

"I would love to," Weiss said.

Yang stood up and stretched. She patted her belly. "Those were good noodles," she said as she started wandering down the row of booths.

"I assume you have a plan as to what we're going to do next?" Weiss asked, as she followed Yang.

"Well I did," Yang said. "But everything here costs money."

Weiss frowned. She opened her mouth to apologize again, but Yang suddenly said, "Nope!"

"What do you mean, 'nope'?" Weiss asked.

"I mean, nope you're not going to think I'm all upset about that," Yang said. "I don't need to be spending money to have fun with you."

"Thank you, Yang," Weiss said softly.

"Although…" Yang said, looking around. "There's a lot of tourists here. Maybe we could scam one of them out of a few Lien. Do you know how to rig a shell game?"

"Yang!" Weiss said, laughing despite herself. "Of course not!"

"Oh well," Yang said with a shrug. "Come on. Let's go see what we can see. There's got to be something going on here that's free."

"That sounds delightful," Weiss said. "As I recall, there's supposed to be a fireworks display tonight. Perhaps we could watch it together."

"Oh that'd be great! You and me under the stars," Yang said. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "That's the perfect time for some smooching."

"Yang…" Weiss said.

"What? Everyone's going to be watching the fireworks, not us," Yang said.

"It's still too risky. But that is something we could do in the dorm afterward. Maybe we could even…" Weiss trailed off.

"Even what?" Yang asked.

Weiss was blushing brightly now. She whispered, "Maybe we could put the sock on the doorknob again."

"Oh ho, ho," Yang said. "Fireworks after the fireworks, eh?"

"Keep your voice down!" Weiss hissed.

"I'll be good," Yang said. "Unless you don't want me to be."

"Yang!" Weiss said, but she couldn't keep the amusement out of her voice. Then she sighed and said, "Thank you, by the way. For being so understanding about…things."

Yang winked at Weiss. "No problem," she said. "It's been totally worth it."

Weiss and Yang walked in silence for a while. The festival grounds were bustling with people, but Weiss was hardly paying attention to any of them. As far as she was concerned, the only person who mattered right now was the one walking beside her. Weiss looked up into the sky. She hadn't really appreciated it yet, but the weather was perfect today. The air was clear and the temperature was just right. The Vytal Festival organizers couldn't have asked for a better day to kick off the proceedings, and Weiss couldn't have asked for a better one to go on a walk with Yang.

Up in the sky, airships drifted by. Weiss idly watched them as they went. There were dozens of them. The Vytal Festival attracted people from across the entire world. All the airdocks in Vale were sure to be full to capacity until the Festival ended.

Suddenly, Weiss saw an airship that she recognized. It was long and elegant, and most uniquely, four banners were mounted on it. They were streaming proudly as the ship sailed through the air. Weiss had known to expect this particular airship; she just hadn't expected it so soon.

Weiss grabbed Yang's arm and pulled her to a halt, all the while keeping her eyes on the ship.

"What is it?" Yang asked.

"She's here," Weiss said with a happy smile on her face.

* * *

 _Author's Note:_ _A Sien is a subdivision of a Lien I came up with in another story of mine. As far as I'm aware, an official one doesn't exists._

 _Those of you who've read_ On Sisters and Girlfriends _probably have a pretty good idea what's coming next, but remember, that story and this one aren't quite mutually compatible. There may be a few surprises in store for you._

 _As always, I welcome constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave a review. And if you like what you've read, taking the time to favorite and/or follow really helps me out. You can also find me on tumblr (electronicyarn) if you want to send me a message or be notified of updates._


	19. For Love or Family

**Chapter 19: For Love or Family**

Unsurprisingly, Beacon's airdocks were swarming with people and airships alike. Weiss was oblivious to all the commotion surrounding her, however. Her eyes were glued to the sky, watching overhead as the airship she'd spotted earlier slowly descended toward its birth.

Yang, who was standing next to Weiss, asked, "What exactly are we doing here?"

"I already explained it to you," Weiss said, still looking skyward.

"No you didn't," Yang said. "You just said, 'She's here,' and dragged me down to the docks. Who's she?"

"Winter," Weiss said. "My sister."

"Oh!" Yang said. "She's the sister you like, right?"

"She's my only sister," Weiss said. "But yes."

Weiss was surprised that Winter's ship was being allowed to land at Beacon rather than being directed to another dock in Vale. Since Beacon itself was hosting the Vytal Festival, only the highest priority airships were allowed to dock there. Winter, however, had never been one to settle for second best. Weiss could easily imagine that she'd badgered some hapless dockmaster into giving her permission to land.

Weiss tapped her foot impatiently. It felt like it was taking forever for Winter's airship to arrive. She wished it would hurry up and land. She was eager for Yang and Winter to finally meet one another.

"So…" Yang said. "Are we going to tell Winter about you-know-what?"

Weiss blinked. The question was such an obvious one that she was shocked she hadn't even considered it. In the space of a heartbeat, she went from excited to worried. She looked at Yang and said, "I'm not sure."

"Come on, Weiss. She's your sister," Yang said. "Why wouldn't you want to tell her?"

Weiss looked down at her feet as she thought about it. It wasn't that she didn't want to tell Winter; she just didn't know if she should tell Winter. She had no idea how Winter would react. Now that Weiss thought about it, she didn't even know if Winter would like Yang as a person, much less as her girlfriend. Winter may have joined the military and distanced herself from Father, but she was still very much a Schnee. Yang didn't fit within the ideals that the Family held to. She was brash, unrefined, and far, far below Weiss's station.

"Weiss?" Yang asked.

Weiss raised her head. The concern on Yang's face was plain to see. Weiss couldn't see any of Yang's faults looking at her now. She just saw her loving, caring girlfriend. If only Winter could see Yang through her eyes.

Weiss sighed. Winter was the one person she'd never kept any secrets from, and she didn't want to start now. She said, "Yes. We're going to tell Winter."

Yang pumped her fist and said, "Yes!"

"But I need to be the one to do it!" Weiss cautioned. "This has to be handled delicately."

"Okay," Yang said. "I'll leave it to you. I mean, she's your sister and all."

"Right," Weiss said. She hoped she didn't regret her decision, but she felt that telling Winter was the right thing to do. A strategy was already forming in Weiss's mind on how to break the news to Winter. The first step would be to get Winter to at least not dislike Yang, although that might be a challenge.

Weiss said to Yang, "I expect you to be on your best behavior in front of Winter."

"I'm always on my best behavior," Yang said.

"That's what I'm afraid of," Weiss muttered.

Weiss looked back up at the sky. Winter's airship was close now. Close enough that Weiss could just barely made out the silhouettes of the crew through the windows. Weiss pictured Winter standing regally on the airship's bridge with her steely gaze and rigid posture.

Weiss's stomach started twisting itself into knots. She wanted so badly for everything to work out between Yang and Winter, but she couldn't bring herself to be optimistic that it would. Winter was firm, unwavering, and took everything extremely seriously. Hers was exactly the kind of personality that Yang loved to clash with.

"Hey, Weiss," Yang said.

Weiss looked over at Yang, and Yang tapped the side of her cheek twice.

Weiss hadn't been prepared for the gesture. It sent a warm feeling rushing through her, and made her stomach relax just a little. "Me too," she said softly.

Weiss's gaze lingered on Yang. She couldn't help but smile. No matter Yang's social standing or supposed shortcomings, she was a good person. Surely Winter would see that. Weiss freely admitted to herself that it had taken her time to see past her own assumptions and truly appreciate Yang's better qualities, but Winter was far more perceptive than she was. Everything would work out. It had to.

Suddenly, Yang nudged Weiss with her elbow. Weiss was confused as to why, but when she turned her head in the direction that Yang was looking, she saw that not only had Winter's airship landed, but Winter herself was walking down the boarding ramp.

Weiss's cheeks flushed. Panic and embarrassment shot through her. She knew full well that Winter would have to be introduced to the idea of her dating Yang slowly, and here she was gawking at Yang like some love-struck teenager. It didn't matter that she essentially was a love-struck teenager; she still needed to keep herself under control.

"Winter!" Weiss said as Winter approached, sounding far too flustered for her liking. She quickly remembered her decorum and said, "Your presence honors us."

Winter stopped in front of Weiss and stood silently for a long moment with her arms folded behind her back. She gazed across Beacon's airdocks as if she was surveying a freshly conquered land. Eventually, she said, "Beacon. It's been a long time."

There was another long pause until Weiss asked, "So, what are you doing here? I didn't expect you to arrive so soon."

"Classified," Winter said.

"Oh! Right," Weiss said. "Well, how long are you staying?"

"Classified," Winter repeated.

"Of course," Weiss said.

"Wow," Yang muttered. "And I thought you were bad."

Weiss's smile faltered. She elbowed Yang hard in the gut.

"Oof!" Yang wheezed. She rubbed her stomach and said, "I mean…uh…hiya, Weiss's Sister!"

Winter eyed Yang. She said, "I don't believe we've been introduced."

Yang grinned and said, "I'm Yang!"

Winter looked completely unimpressed. She didn't say anything.

Yang had clearly been expecting more of a reaction from Winter. She said, "You know, Yang Xiao Long?"

"And what is your relationship to my sister, Yang Xiao Long?" Winter asked.

"Oh, we're—" Yang started.

"Teammates!" Weiss hastily supplied for Yang, but at the same time, Yang said, "—friends!"

Weiss and Yang looked at each other. Yang said, "Uh, both?"

"Yes!" Weiss quickly agreed. "Both."

"So this is your mysterious third teammate," Winter said to Weiss. "You spoke of her so infrequently in your messages to me that I was beginning to wonder if you'd been assigned to a team of three."

"You don't talk about me?" Yang asked Weiss. She sounded hurt, but Weiss could tell that Yang was just hamming things up.

Winter continued, "It is good to see that you have made friends, Weiss. I feared you would find such social bonding difficult."

Yang said, "Well, I wouldn't say it wasn't difficult."

"Yang!" Weiss said.

Winter said, "Knowing my sister, I am hardly surprised."

"Hey!" Weiss said.

Winter asked, "That aside, how have you been, Weiss?"

"I've…been splendid," Weiss said. "I'm actually in the very top ranking of my sparring class. The rest of my studies are going wonderfully too."

"I didn't ask about your studies," Winter said. "I asked how you've been. Are you eating properly? Have you taken up any hobbies?"

Yang chimed in, "Does taking motorcycle rides count as a hobby?"

Weiss's face drained of color. There was probably something worse Yang could have said just then, but Weiss couldn't think of what it might have been.

"Motor…cycle?" Winter asked as if the word didn't quite fit her mouth. "Is this true, Weiss?"

"No! Well, yes. Sort of," Weiss said.

"Explain," Winter said.

"I've been riding on a motorcycle, not driving one," Weiss said.

"And who might be the one driving said motorcycle?" Winter asked.

"Yang," Weiss answered sheepishly.

Winter fixed Yang with a look. She said, "I would be curious to know how you convinced my sensible, intelligent sister to participate in such a dangerous activity."

Yang hooked her arm around Weiss and pulled her into a side hug. "It wasn't hard," she said. "Weiss is a real rebel at heart!"

"Yang!" Weiss protested.

Winter said, "I have always suspected as much."

"What!?" Weiss said.

Winter's eyes shifted back and forth between Weiss and Yang. Weiss realized that Yang's arm was still around her shoulders. She wormed her way out from under it. She knew Winter wouldn't find such contact appropriate, even between platonic friends.

Things were not going at all like Weiss had expected, although that seemed to be par for the course whenever Yang was involved with something. That wasn't such a bad thing in and of itself, but Weiss had no idea if Winter and Yang's first meeting was going well or poorly.

Winter spent a minute or two more studying Weiss and Yang. Weiss liked to think she had an excellent understanding of her sister, but Winter had long ago mastered the art of being inscrutable. Weiss had no idea what thoughts might be going through Winter's head.

Eventually, Winter looked at Yang and asked, "Have you been a good friend to my sister?"

"Well yeah. Of course!" Yang said. She turned to Weiss and asked, "Right, Weissy?"

Weiss sighed. A smile crossed her face, and she said, "Yes you have."

Winter said, "Then I wish to thank you, Yang Xiao Long, for taking an interest in my sister."

Yang chuckled. "Heh. Interest," she said.

Weiss's smiled turned into a frown. The innuendo had been downright subtle for Yang, but Winter didn't miss much. Fortunately, neither Yang nor Winter commented further.

Winter nodded like she'd made up her mind about something. She turned to Weiss and said, "I have business with your headmaster, but seeing as I'm early, why don't you take a walk with me?"

"Really?" Weiss asked, both shocked and delighted. Early or not, she'd never known Winter to put anything before her mission.

"Yes," Winter said. "I wish to discuss certain matters with you."

"Of course!" Weiss said. She followed Winter as she started walking in the direction of Beacon's main campus.

"Uh…see you guys later then," Yang said. Then Weiss heard Yang say to herself, "Oh yeah. Nailed it."

* * *

Several minutes later, Winter had led Weiss to a secluded pavilion far away from the festival grounds, and the two of them had taken a seat at a table there. The draw of the Festival had left the pavilion deserted, allowing Weiss and Winter to speak in relative privacy.

Winter was not one for small talk. When she spoke it was for a purpose, and in the short amount of time since she and Weiss had left the airdocks, they had discussed all manner of things from the state of affairs at the Vytal Festival to Weiss's grades. What they hadn't discussed, however, was Yang.

Weiss knew the longer she delayed talking about Yang, the harder it was going to be. She'd just about worked up the courage to start easing into the subject when Winter unknowingly derailed her by saying, "Beacon seems different from the last time I was here."

"I'm still surprised by how much different this kingdom is from Atlas," Weiss said. "The school and the government are completely separate."

"I'm well aware of how Vale handles its bureaucracy," Winter said.

"Right," Weiss said, feeling foolish. Winter was extremely well-traveled. She probably knew more about Vale than Weiss did.

Apropos of nothing, Winter said, "Your golden-haired friend is a rather intriguing young woman, isn't she?"

"Yes, she is," Weiss said. Her nervousness was on the rise again. Whether she was ready or not, this was going to be her opportunity to talk to Winter about her new relationship. She just couldn't seem to figure out how.

Suddenly, Winter folded her hands together and looked Weiss dead in the eye. She asked, "How long?"

Weiss's eyes went wide. Almost on reflex, she said, "Actually, Yang's surname is Xiao Long."

Winter did not look amused. Weiss herself was dismayed at what she'd just said. It seemed that Yang's sense of humor was rubbing off on her far more than she would've liked.

Winter said, "I'm well aware of her name. How long have you been courting her?"

Even though Weiss knew that's what Winter had been implying, she was still floored. "How?" she asked. "How could you possibly know?"

"Your paramour is hardly subtle," Winter said. "The way she looks at you makes it astoundingly obvious."

"Yang…" Weiss muttered.

"You are little better yourself," Winter scolded. "The Weiss I know would never allow someone to touch her, much less let herself be addressed by a nickname as degrading as…'Weissy'. If you wish your relationship to be a secret, you'll have to do a far better job of concealing it."

"I…you're right," Weiss said.

"You still haven't answered my question," Winter said. "How long?"

"Long enough to know it's serious," Weiss said.

"I see," Winter said. "I can scarcely believe that my own sister is a homosexual."

Weiss flinched like Winter had slapped her. "You don't understand," she said. "It's not like I had a choice in the matter."

"You are correct. I don't understand," Winter said. "However. I've experienced enough in my travels to know that just because I don't understand something doesn't necessarily make it…invalid."

Weiss let out a breath. She said, "I suppose that's more than I could have hoped for."

"Despite what you may think, I'm not disappointed in you," Winter said.

"You're not?" Weiss asked.

"No. I am, however, disappointed that you didn't tell me sooner," Winter said. "Imagine my surprise, when I disembarked my airship only to see my sister staring longingly at a young woman whom I hardly knew existed."

"You know why I couldn't tell you about this over the CCT Network," Weiss said.

"I know precisely why," Winter said. "But that doesn't excuse you not telling me you were homosexual before you began attending Beacon."

"I didn't know then," Weiss said. "I didn't have a clue until…Yang."

"I see," Winter said. "Does she make you happy?"

"Yes," Weiss said. "She's been wonderful beyond description."

"I have no doubt she has. Otherwise you would've never taken such a risk," Winter said. "But what will you do when Father finds out?"

"You mean if Father finds out," Weiss said.

" _When_ he does," Winter insisted. "Make no mistake. Sooner or later, he will. It goes without saying that he will not approve."

"I don't need his approval!" Weiss snapped.

"But you do need his money," Winter said. "Have you had trouble with your card recently?"

"Yes!" Weiss said, surprised at Winter's seemingly lucky guess. "I went to pay for lunch today, but my card didn't work."

"How embarrassing," Winter said.

"I know!" Weiss said. "Why would Father cut me off like that?"

"Perhaps so you'd stop avoiding him and call home," Winter said.

"I…! How did you know?" Weiss asked.

"I may have been in a similar situation once," Winter said. "More similar than you might suspect."

"What do you mean?" Weiss asked.

Winter looked off into the distance. "You've never asked me, Weiss, why you're the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company and not I."

"Father told me you'd willingly stepped down," Weiss said.

Winter turned back to Weiss. "Did you believe him?" she asked.

"I did at the time," Weiss admitted. "But as I got older I realized things might not be so straightforward."

Winter said, "The truth is that I had a secret relationship with a man that Father never would have approved of. Not unlike you, save for one important detail. Father was furious when he found out. He demanded that I end the relationship immediately. I refused."

"Winter! I had no idea!" Weiss said.

"Of course not," Winter said. "I took great pains to keep it a secret."

"But after Father found out, why not tell me?" Weiss asked.

"You were young then. Would you really have understood?" Winter asked.

"I suppose not," Weiss said. "But you've been with someone in secret for all these years?"

"No. I have not," Winter said. "He left me."

Winter's statement hit Weiss like a ton of bricks. She asked, "Even after everything you sacrificed for him?!"

"Yes," Winter said.

Weiss could see in Winter's eyes that it was painful for her to discuss this, but she had to know more. "Why?" she asked.

"It doesn't matter why," Winter said. "What does matter is that it's not too late for you. You still have the opportunity to consider what you really want. I was merely stripped of my standing in the Family. Father will do far worse to you when he learns of Miss Xiao Long."

Weiss looked at Winter with a pained expression and said, "I'm not sure that is isn't too late. Yang and I…we're in love."

"As was I. As was he," Winter said. "I experienced firsthand how little that mattered."

Weiss lowered her head. Despair was clearly etched on her face. She didn't know if she was strong enough to stand up to Father's wrath should he find out about Yang, and it was unbearable to think that she might go through all that and loose Yang anyway. She didn't want to believe that it could ever happen, but she knew it was a possibility. How many of Yang's numerous ex-girlfriends and boyfriends had thought that what they had was forever?

"Weiss," Winter said. "Look at me."

Weiss slowly tilted her head up. Winter said, "I will not apologize for being harsh. You must be prepared for the consequences of your choices."

"I know," Weiss said quietly.

"I want you to know that I've never regretted losing my position as the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company," Winter said. "That life was never my destiny, but it may be yours. You must make that decision and soon."

"You're right," Weiss said. If only it were as simple as just deciding.

"Does Miss Xiao Long know?" Winter asked.

"Does she know what?"

"Does she know what you'll have to give up to be with her?"

"No…."

"She must," Winter said. "And you must be the one to tell her."

"I'll…" Weiss swallowed hard. "I'll tell her."

"Very good," Winter said. "Now. I would like to speak with her. Privately."

"Why?" Weiss asked.

"To satisfy both my concern and my curiosity," Winter said. "I would know who it is who has so captured my sister's heart."

"Alright," Weiss said. "Let me call her."

* * *

If Weiss thought she was nervous before, it was nothing compared to how she felt now. Yang had been summoned via scroll, and she was now sitting with Winter in the same pavilion that Weiss had just vacated.

Weiss was crouching behind a hedge a little ways away from the pavilion, peering at her sister and girlfriend as they sat together. Yang appeared to be talking excitedly about something, and Winter was politely listening. If Weiss didn't know any better, she would almost say that Winter was smiling. Weiss really wished that she could get close enough to hear what the two of them were saying. Unfortunately, there weren't any good hiding spots closer up.

Suddenly, the hedge Weiss was hiding behind rustled as Ruby zipped up and took a position on Weiss's right. "How's Yang doing?" Ruby asked.

"Ruby!" Weiss said in surprise.

Then, just as suddenly, Blake appeared out of nowhere on Weiss's left and crouched behind the hedge as well. "Did we miss anything important?" she asked.

"Blake!" Weiss said. "What are you two doing here?"

Ruby said, "Yang told us what was happening."

Blake said, "We came to give you two our support."

Weiss sighed and shook her head. She was equal parts grateful and exasperated. "I appreciate it," she said.

Blake asked, "What exactly does your sister want with Yang?"

Weiss said, "I imagine she wants to know if Yang measures up well enough to date me."

Ruby said, "That does sound like something an older sister would do."

Blake said, "It doesn't explain why you look so upset though."

Ruby said, "Don't worry, Weiss. I'm sure Winter will like Yang. Everybody likes Yang!"

"It's not that," Weiss said.

"Then what is it?" Ruby asked.

Weiss thought about how to answer Ruby for a moment. She didn't want to bring up what a predicament she was in regarding her future—especially not until she'd discussed it with Yang—but at the same time, she could really use a sympathetic ear.

Weiss asked, "What if it doesn't work out?"

"What, between you and Yang?" Ruby asked. "I've never seen Yang care more for anyone than she does about you."

"Yes, but…" Weiss said. "Me being with Yang defies so much of what my father stands for. Not just because Yang is female either. If…. When he finds out…."

Blake said, "You're worried that you're going to make a great sacrifice and then have it be for nothing."

"Yes," Weiss said.

Ruby asked, "But why would you and Yang ever break up?"

"People change. Circumstances change," Weiss said. "It could happen."

The three of them were silent for a moment. Then Blake asked, "Would not dating Yang change who you are inside?"

"No," Weiss said.

"Then this isn't about Yang at all," Blake said. "It's about you deciding if you can pretend to be something you're not in order to satisfy others' expectations."

"That sounds unbearable," Weiss said. "How could anyone live like that?"

"Uh…Weiss?" Ruby said. She pointed at Blake's bow.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" Weiss said.

"It's okay," Blake said.

Weiss looked thoughtfully at Blake. Then she asked, "If it were you, what would you do?"

"I can't make that decision for you," Blake said.

"I'd still appreciate your insight," Weiss said.

"It won't be easy no matter what you decide," Blake said. "But I think having someone you love to help you through your troubles is better than not."

Ruby said, "Yang really does love you, Weiss."

"I know, Ruby," Weiss said. "Thank you. Both of you."

The trio turned their attention back to Yang and Winter.

Blake said, "It sounds like it's going well."

Weiss asked, "You can hear them?"

"Only a little," Blake said. "Not well enough to make out exactly what they're saying."

"Don't worry, Weiss," Ruby said. "Yang got one Schnee to like her."

"This is different," Weiss said. "Winter isn't as easy going as I am."

Ruby snickered. "You? Easy going?"

"I'm serious!" Weiss said. "Winter has very high standards. It takes a lot to impress her, and she doesn't—"

Weiss was interrupted by the strangest sound she'd ever heard. Over in the pavilion, her sister, the prim and proper Winter Schnee, was laughing. Weiss's mouth fell open.

"You were saying?" Ruby asked in an insufferably smug tone.

"I don't understand," Weiss said.

Suddenly, Winter and Yang stood up. It looked like they were done talking.

"They're coming this way!" Weiss said. "We need to—"

A billow of rose petals blew past Weiss's face as Ruby used her semblance to dash off, and Weiss turned to Blake just in time to see the clone Blake had left behind vanish. Weiss waved the rose petals out of her face. She quickly stood up and tried to look as nonchalant as possible.

Yang and Winter walked up. Yang was grinning from ear to ear. There was even the tiniest hint of a smile on Winter's face. Yang pointed at Weiss and said, "You've been holding out on me!"

"What do you mean?" Weiss asked.

"Winter here was telling me about a picture she has of little baby Weissy with her favorite stuffed toy, Princess Penguin," Yang said.

Weiss blushed furiously. She turned to Winter and exclaimed, "You told her about Princess Penguin!?"

"I believed she had a right to know," Winter said. It almost sounded like she was joking around, but Winter never joked around!

"Forget knowing," Yang said. "I want to see the picture!"

Winter said, "I will send it to you via the CCT Network at my next opportunity."

Weiss realized that she'd been worried about the wrong thing. Winter not liking Yang would have been heartbreaking. Winter bonding with Yang, however, was terrifying beyond all reason.

"Miss Xiao Long," Winter said. "It was a pleasure to meet you."

"Call me Yang," Yang said.

"Very well, Yang," Winter said. "If you'll excuse me. I must report to your headmaster."

"Alright," Yang said. "I'll see you around. Glad we talked."

"As am I," Winter said. She turned to Weiss. "Walk with me, Sister."

Weiss was too stunned to do anything but what Winter had asked.

As Winter and Weiss walked, Winter said, "Your Yang is quite charming."

"Yes, she is," Weiss agreed.

"But that's not all there is to it," Winter said. "A warm smile and a pretty face are not enough to capture the heart of a Schnee."

"You're right," Weiss said. "Yang was a true friend long before we started dating. Before I even knew how I felt."

"I suspected as much," Winter said.

Beacon's central tower loomed large before Weiss and Winter. They stopped in front of it. Winter turned to Weiss and said, "I must bid you farewell now. I will be departing immediately after I speak with your headmaster."

"You're leaving so soon?" Weiss asked. She was disappointed. She'd hoped to have more time with Winter.

"Yes," Winter said. "Once my mission is completed I will be needed elsewhere."

"I understand," Weiss said.

"Weiss," Winter said. "You've done well out here on your own. I want you to know that no matter your decision regarding your future, I will respect it."

"Thank you, Winter," Weiss said. "You don't know how much that means to me."

Winter looked at Weiss. Her expression softened. To Weiss's complete and utter shock, Winter pulled her into a hug. "I'm proud of the woman you're becoming, Weiss. Nothing will ever change that. I love you, Sister."

"I love you too," Weiss said.

Winter let go of Weiss. In an instant, her aloof air had returned. "Until we speak again, Weiss. I will send you messages as I am able."

"Goodbye, Winter," Weiss said.

Weiss watched Winter disappear into the tower. Her eyes traced up the exterior of the building all the way to the top where Professor Ozpin's office was. Weiss had more to think about than ever before, but for the first time, she felt optimistic about the future, knowing that no matter what happened, Winter, Yang, Ruby, and Blake would all be there to support her.

* * *

 _Author's Note: I was tempted to title this chapter_ On Sisters and Girlfriends _, but it's different enough from that story that I decided against it. My next thought was to call it_ Winter is Coming _, but that just makes it sound like_ A Game of Thrones _fanfic. Either that or a really smutty Winter/whoever fic._

 _As always, I welcome constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave a review. And if you like what you've read, taking the time to favorite and/or follow really helps me out. You can also find me on tumblr (electronicyarn) if you want to send me a message or be notified of updates._


	20. Atlesian Funk

_Author's Note: Please read the Author's Note at the end of this chapter for an important heads-up._

* * *

 **Chapter 20: Atlesian Funk**

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Professor Port's voice boomed over the loudspeakers at the airborne Amity Colosseum. "Welcome back to the doubles round of the Vytal Festival Tournament! In our next match, representing Beacon Academy's Team RWBY, Weiss Schnee and Yang Xiao Long! Their opponents. Representing Atlas Academy's Team FNKI, Flynt Coal and Neon Katt!"

Weiss was standing with Myrtenaster in hand at the center of the grand arena. Yang was at her side, looking excited as she always did before a good fight. Weiss sized up her opponents. Flynt was dressed in clothing that had gone out of style twenty years ago, complete with a fedora. Oddly enough, his weapon of choice was a trumpet, although Weiss could see that it had Dust chambers in place of valves. Neon, on the other hand, looked like she'd just come from a rave, and among her many questionable fashion choices, were loud, clashing colors fitting of her namesake and scrunchies adorning the end of her cat tail. She had a nunchaku in her hand, which was a slightly more traditional weapon than Flynt's trumpet, but she was actually wearing rollerblades of all things. Weiss had to wonder how she intended to navigate rough terrain.

Flynt and Neon were both clearly eccentric, even by the standards of huntsmen and huntresses, but Weiss knew better than to underestimate them. No one made it into the Vytal Festival Tournament, much less the doubles round, without being a world-class fighter.

Truthfully, Weiss didn't feel like she was quite at one hundred percent today. Winter had driven home the importance of considering her future, and Weiss had thought about nothing else since yesterday. This tournament, prestigious and important though it was, felt like little more than a distraction right now. However, Weiss didn't want to let her school, her team, or especially Yang down. She was still determined to win, distracted or not.

"Hey," Flynt said suddenly. "You're Weiss Schnee, right? The heiress."

"I am," Weiss said.

"I take it you're pretty good with Dust then," Flynt said.

"I do my best," Weiss said.

"Yeah. My dad was good too. Owned a little Dust shop of his own," Flynt said. "Until your father's company ran him out of business."

"Oh!" Weiss said. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Sure you are," Flynt said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Yang said, "Hey! Why don't you—!"

"Hey! Why don't you!" Neon mockingly parroted Yang. "That's what you sound like!"

"Uh…" Yang said.

Before anyone could say anything more, the arena's floor opened up, and the center section that everyone was standing on began to descend. The match was about to get started. Weiss was distracted enough that she barely took note of which biomes that the arena had selected for the fight. Whether Flynt knew it or not, his trash talking had been unnervingly effective on her. It had been a painful reminder that the company she was poised to inherit was loathed by a certain percentage of the population, and not without reason.

Weiss shook off her doubts for the time being and took a ready position. She could worry about the reputation of the Schnee Dust Company after this match was over.

Professor Port's voice called out, "Three! Two! One! Begin!"

The moment the fight started, Flynt blew a thunderous note on his trumpet. It had to have been enhanced by green Dust since a gale-force wind sprung forth from the horn, pushing hard against Weiss and Yang. Weiss managed to conjure up a black glyph beneath her feet and anchor herself in place. Yang, however, was blown back into the urban biome that the arena had placed behind them.

Neon went skating after Yang, leaving a rainbow of colors trailing behind her. Weiss's first instinct was to go assist Yang, but Flynt sent a second blast of wind at her, forcing her to lock herself down on another glyph.

Weiss weathered the windstorm, expecting it to end at any moment, but it didn't let up. Since it was powered by Dust and not Flynt's lungs, Weiss knew he could sustain it nearly indefinitely. Weiss wasn't about to spend the whole match doing nothing, so she summoned a second black glyph in front of her. She slowly pushed her way toward Flynt on a path made of glyphs that she created as she went.

Suddenly, Flynt's musical windstorm abruptly died. Weiss stumbled forward. Thinking quickly, she conjured a white glyph and caught herself on it and then immediately propelled herself forward, straight for Flynt.

Just as Weiss closed the distance, Flynt gripped his trumpet in both hands. He held it out sideways in front of him and blocked Weiss's strike. Weiss wasted no time with a follow-up attack. Flynt's trumpet might have been dangerously effective at a distance, but its application as a melee weapon was rather limited.

Weiss struck again and again, and Flynt blocked each time. They appeared to be at an impasse, but Weiss knew she had the advantage. Flynt was completely on the defensive, and sooner or later, he would slip up.

Myrtenaster thrust toward Flynt once more, and this time when Flynt tried to block, the blade slipped in between the gap created by the bend of his trumpet. Weiss thought she'd finally found an opening, but to her great dismay, Flynt twisted his trumpet, trapping Weiss's sword in place.

Weiss and Flynt struggled for control briefly, but then Flynt wrenched Myrtenaster out of Weiss's hand. The sword went flying away. Before Weiss could adjust, Flynt delivered a shockingly powerful roundhouse kick that sent her soaring through the air as well. The impromptu flight gave Weiss a second to consider that Flynt was much stronger than he looked. He might even rival Yang, at least when Yang was calm.

Myrtenaster clattered against the jagged rocks of the lava biome that the arena had spawned. Weiss landed hard on the ground a few feet behind her sword. Her aura's energy flickered as it absorbed the impact.

Weiss immediately pushed herself up off the ground. Flynt looked at her with contempt as he walked unhurriedly toward her. "Too bad all that money can't buy you skill," he said.

If Weiss had been Yang, her eyes would have turned red. Flynt really knew how to get under her skin. Fortunately, living in close proximity to Yang and Ruby for so long had taught Weiss how to be furious and think clearly at the same time.

Weiss jumped back onto her feet and ran for her rapier. She knew another blast of wind would be coming her way any second, courtesy of Flynt's trumpet. She snatched Myrtenaster off the ground just as she heard the note play. Quick as a flash, she spun to face Flynt and flicked her sword over to the green Dust chamber.

Weiss pulled Myrtenaster's trigger and a blast of wind erupted from the tip. It clashed with the wind from Flynt's horn and the two attacks canceled each other out. Weiss marched forward, maintaining the gust of air to protect herself.

Flynt let up when he saw his trumpet's blast wasn't working. That was all the opportunity Weiss needed. She rushed forward on another glyph. Flynt raised his horn to block again, but at the last second, Weiss leaped up and launched herself over Flynt's head. Her feet touched a second glyph she'd conjured in the air behind him, and she pushed off with all her might, speeding for Flynt sword first.

Myrtenaster struck home, and there was a satisfying burst of light as Flynt's aura flared against Weiss's attack. Weiss's momentum carried her past Flynt. She rolled to bleed off her speed and then popped back up onto her feet.

Flynt was staggered by Weiss's attack, but he quickly shook it off. He said, "Not bad, Schnee. But let's see how you handle this."

Suddenly, there wasn't one Flynt, but four. At first, Weiss thought that Flynt's semblance might have been similar to Blake's, but then she saw that each of Flynt's clones were mirroring his actions exactly. Weiss's eyes narrowed. Duplication was an extremely rare semblance. It was so rare in fact, that no one at Beacon had it. Weiss quickly realized what a disadvantage she was at. She'd never had the opportunity to practice against someone with duplication or develop tactics to counter it.

The quartet of Flynts didn't waste any time pressing their advantage. They all raised their trumpets to their lips and blew a note in unison. The four gusts of air converged into one massive cyclone that headed straight for Weiss.

Weiss crouched low as she tried to root herself to the ground again, but Flynt's attack was too much. Her feet were ripped off her glyph and she was rapidly propelled through the air. She saw the lava biome give way to the geyser biome as the arena floor whiz past below her.

Weiss landed hard enough that she felt her teeth rattle. It took her a moment to regain her senses. She was actually surprised that she hadn't been eliminated after a blow like that. Her aura couldn't have been doing well, but she was still in the fight. There was no way she was going to give up yet.

Weiss managed to get up on her hands. She'd lost Myrtenaster mid-flight, but she saw it resting on the ground only a few feet away. She reached for her sword, but then Flynt's foot came down on top of it.

A casual flick of Flynt's leg sent Myrtenaster, and Weiss's hopes, skittering away. Weiss looked up at Flynt. He grinned at her like he'd won already. Weiss knew her only chance to stay in the match now was Yang. If Yang could intervene, Weiss might be able to reclaim her weapon.

Weiss spotted Yang at the center of the arena. Unfortunately, it looked like she was having only marginally more success than Weiss. Neon was literally skating circles around Yang and teasing her mercilessly. Flynt apparently noticed Yang's plight as well, because he turned away from Weiss and split into his duplicates again.

The four Flynts raised their horns to their lips. Weiss knew she had to do something and quickly. She frantically looked around for anything that she could use to her advantage. She noticed that a geyser just behind Flynt was about to erupt. A plan formed in Weiss's mind. It was dangerous with her aura so low, far too dangerous to risk for a mere tournament, no matter how important. But Weiss wasn't thinking about the tournament; she was thinking about how she needed to protect Yang.

Weiss scrambled to her feet. Just as the Flynts were about to unleash their horns' fury on Yang, Weiss tackled the one closest to her. Flynt's concentration broke, causing him to merge with his duplicates, and he and Weiss went tumbling into the geyser just as it erupted.

Burning fire and scalding steam buffeted Weiss. Her aura held on for as long as it could, but with one last flash of energy, it failed completely. Pain racked Weiss's body as the blistering heat bit at her unprotected flesh. Fortunately, she only had to endure it for a few seconds before the geyser fell silent.

Weiss rolled limply down the mound that marked the geyser's mouth and came to a rest a few feet away. She had no idea what had happened to Flynt, or Yang or Neon for that matter. She supposed she could always sit up and find out, but her whole body hurt. She didn't feel much like moving.

Minutes passed. Weiss heard Professor Port announce something, but his words sounded muted and far away. Suddenly, Weiss heard Yang's worried voice call her name. Then a strong arm cradled her and helped her into a sitting position.

Weiss coughed. She said, "I'm alright."

"What was that all about?!" Yang demanded.

"Flynt was about to attack you. I had to do something," Weiss said.

Yang scowled at Weiss.

"Don't look at me like that," Weiss said. "You would have done the same."

"Yeah, and you would have yelled at me," Yang said.

"Did we win?" Weiss asked.

One side of Yang's mouth turned up into a smirk. "Of course we won. It was you and me fighting."

"Good," Weiss said. "Help me up. They're probably broadcasting this to the whole world right now. I'm not going to be seen wallowing on some dirty arena floor."

"That's my Weiss," Yang said. She took Weiss's hand and helped her to her feet.

Weiss brushed off some of the dirt that had accumulated on her combat skirt. She still hurt all over, but the pain had subsided to a manageable dull ache.

When Weiss decided that she was as clean as she was going to get, she looked up and saw Flynt standing there, giving her a scrutinizing look. He said, "That was a pretty gutsy move, Schnee. Maybe I misjudged you."

"I'm not my father," Weiss said.

"No. I guess you're not," Flynt said. He held out his hand.

Weiss took Flynt's hand and shook it. Flynt nodded and said, "Good luck in the next round."

Neon suddenly skated up, wailing, "Whaaat?! We lost? Team FNKI lost? That was…that was… _amazing_!"

Weiss and Yang looked at Neon with blank stares.

Neon started skating in circles around the group. "Oh my gosh!" she babbled excitedly. "You are super crazy awesome! We should definitely party together sometime!"

Weiss said, "I'm sure we could…arrange something between our two teams."

Neon's head snapped toward Weiss. She abruptly stopped skating and sneered. "Not you! I was talking to her," she said, pointing at Yang.

"Hey!" Yang said. "Do you have a problem with Weiss?"

"Yeah! She's a Schnee!" Neon said. "Come on, Flynt! We're going!"

Flynt shrugged. "Sorry, Schnee," he said. "Looks like not everyone's so easy to win over."

Neon looked back at Yang and suddenly she was all smiles again. She winked and said, "Later, hot stuff! Call me!"

Yang laughed nervously.

Weiss watched in open-mouthed shock as Neon and Flynt headed out of the arena. However, she didn't have too much time to think about what had just happened before Ruby and Blake came running up.

Blake said, "Good job, you two!"

"Yeah!" Ruby enthusiastically agreed.

Neither Weiss nor Yang said anything.

Blake asked, "Weiss? Are you okay? That last hit from the geyser looked like a bad one."

"I'll heal," Weiss said. "I'm more concerned about that Neon girl. Did you hear what she said to me?"

"I caught the gist of it," Blake said.

Ruby asked, "What? What did she say?"

Yang said, "Don't worry about it, Rubes. I'll tell you later."

Weiss said, "I don't understand. What did I do to make her so angry?"

Blake said, "She's a faunus."

"I know that," Weiss said. She lowered her voice to a whisper and asked, "Do you think she's a member of the White Fang?"

"No," Blake said. "But she's a faunus from Atlas."

"Why should that matter?" Weiss asked.

"Do you really not know?" Blake asked.

"I know my family's company engages in some…questionable labor practices," Weiss said. "But Atlas has antidiscrimination labor laws just like Vale, and I've never found any evidence of outright illegal activity."

The way Blake looked at Weiss made Weiss's blood run cold. It was the look of a person who had been forced to be the bearer of terrible news.

"Blake?" Weiss asked.

"You and I need to talk," Blake said.

* * *

Weiss had taken the time to get cleaned up after the fight. She'd taken a quick shower and changed into a fresh set of clothes. Yang hadn't forgotten that Weiss preferred to shower in private, and she'd stood guard outside the door to the showering facilities while Weiss had been using them to make sure no one had disturbed her.

Weiss and Yang were walking back to Team RWBY's dorm room now. They were already climbing up the stairs, and Weiss was dreading every step. Blake was waiting for her in the team's room, and Weiss just knew that Blake was about to tell her something awful. Although she couldn't imagine what it might be.

Weiss and Yang reached the appropriate floor. They walked in silence to Team RWBY's door and stopped there.

"Are you going to be okay?" Yang asked.

"I'll be fine," Weiss said.

"Want me to go in there with you?"

"No. Blake was clear that she wanted to have this discussion alone."

"Alright. I'll be waiting right outside then."

Weiss smiled at Yang. "Thank you," she said.

Yang smiled back and tapped her cheek twice.

"Me too," Weiss said softly. Then she opened the door and walked into the room.

Inside, Blake was sitting at the writing desk, reading a book. When she saw Weiss come in, she closed her book and set it down.

Weiss asked, "What is it that you wanted to tell me, Blake?"

Without a word, Blake reached up and untied her bow, exposing her cat ears. She set the ribbon down next to her book.

"I don't understand," Weiss said.

"It's important that you see me as a faunus right now," Blake said.

Weiss knew that wasn't a good sign. She braced herself for the worst.

Blake stood. She said, "You should know that before I came to Vale, my family and I lived in Atlas."

"I never would have imagined," Weiss said.

"It's not something I like to talk about," Blake said.

Weiss swallowed. She asked, "What does this have to do with Neon?"

"Every faunus who's ever lived in Atlas knows what the Schnee Dust Company does," Blake said. "Many of them from firsthand experience."

"What do you mean?" Weiss asked.

"I was six years old the day I started working in the Company's mines," Blake said. "And I wasn't the only faunus kid there."

"What!?" Weiss exclaimed. Her first reaction was complete disbelief. "But that's…!"

"Illegal?" Blake asked. "People like your father don't care about things like labor laws."

"Were you…forced to work there?" Weiss asked.

"Not directly," Blake said. "I was paid, but I might as well have been a slave."

"But if nothing was keeping you there, why do it?" Weiss asked.

"Circumstances," Blake said. "Working for the Schnee Dust Company was still better than starving or freezing to death on the streets."

"No. You must be mistaken," Weiss said. It wasn't that she didn't believe Blake; it was that she didn't want to.

"It's the truth," Blake said. "I was one of the lucky ones. My family managed to escape that life and Atlas."

"But I looked into the company records!" Weiss said. "I never found any indication of something like that!"

"Your Father isn't foolish," Blake said. "He's not going to leave documents for someone to find. But even he can't erase all the evidence."

"What do you mean?" Weiss asked.

Blake looked at Weiss for a moment like she was debating with herself. Then she turned her back to Weiss. She unbuttoned her vest and slipped it off. Then she lifted the back of her blouse.

Weiss's heart sunk into the pit of her stomach. On Blake's back were several long, jagged scars. It was painfully clear that they'd been made by a whip. Blake had to have been young when she'd received them, otherwise she would've had an aura to protect and heal her.

"No," Weiss whispered. She slowly walked toward Blake as if in a trance. She reached out and placed her fingers on Blake's back. She'd hoped that the scars had somehow been a trick of the light, but she could feel their raised edges. They were all too real.

Weiss let her hand drop. How? How could Father allow such a thing to happen? She knew he was a hard and ruthless man, especially in matters of business, but this was going further than she thought even he was capable of. It was beyond being unethical or illegal; it was morally reprehensible.

Weiss hardly even noticed as Blake put her vest and bow back on. Blake walked over to the door and opened it. Yang was waiting on the other side like she'd promised.

"Blake?" Yang asked.

"She's going to need you," Blake said.

Yang rushed over to Weiss's side and gathered her up into a big hug.

Safe in Yang's arms, Weiss started to cry. Tears gushed down her cheeks. Yang didn't ask what was wrong. She just held Weiss close and rocked her comfortingly.

"Yang…" Weiss tried to say, but it was too hard for her to speak.

"Don't say anything yet. Just let it all out," Yang said. "I'm here for you."

Weiss nodded and buried her head in Yang's shoulder. She let Yang be her anchor as she cried her eyes out, mourning the loss of her ignorance to her family's crimes.

* * *

 _Author's Note:_ _ **IMPORTANT!** Up until now I've stuck fairly close-ish to canon in this story, but that's about to end. From this point on I'm doing my own thing. Just so no one has the wrong expectations, I would like to point out that Cinder and her host of lieutenants, minions, and lackeys have not shown up in this story yet, and they're not going to. Where are they all? Heck if I know. The point is, Cinder's shenanigans weren't part of the story I wanted to tell here._

 _Now that we've got that out of the way, on to the rest of the author's note._

 _I usually don't like to do scenes in my stories that are essentially unmodified scenes from canon. If for no other reason than everybody's already seen them. In this case I decided to use the Team FNKI fight anyway because it fits in really well as a transition between Winter's visit and Blake's revelation. Plus I felt that the fight scene from the show could be spruced up a little. Volume 3 is my favorite volume, but the fight scenes in it were terrible up until about Episode 6. In the wake of Monty Oum's tragic death, the animators really struggled to find their own style. I was impressed how quickly the show recovered._

 _As a side note, I'm pretty sure Neon is gay. It might have something to do with the fact that literal rainbows shoot off of her. Hmmm. Does anyone know the Yang/Neon ship name? I humbly submit Rainbow Dragon for consideration._

 _I've taken some liberties with Blake's backstory here. I'm fairly certain that it doesn't directly contradict anything in canon, but if it does, oh well. Like I said above, this story is now officially and firmly in the realm of alternate universe._

 _As always, I welcome constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave a review. And if you like what you've read, taking the time to favorite and/or follow really helps me out. You can also find me on tumblr (electronicyarn) if you want to send me a message or be notified of updates._


	21. Fault and Responsibility

**Chapter 21: Fault and Responsibility**

The morning sun was shining in through the window in Team RWBY's dorm. It was a lovely day outside, the perfect start to the weekend. Weiss was quietly humming to herself as she made her bed. She neatly folded her sheets into place and smoothed out the wrinkles. Then she threw her blanket over her bed and tugged on it until it was sitting perfectly. She took a step back and nodded, satisfied with her work.

Weiss was alone in the room. Ruby and Blake had already left, and Yang was in the powder room, going through her elaborate morning hair care ritual. Weiss could hear the sound of Yang's hairdryer running through the closed door.

Weiss looked the room over. A trophy was sitting on top of the bookshelf, and the light coming in through the window was reflecting brightly off its silvery surface. Yang had not been happy that she'd only managed to take Team RWBY to second place in the Vytal Festival Tournament, regardless of the fact that it was extraordinary for a first-year student to get to the singles round, much less make it to the final match. Weiss had encouraged Yang by reminding her that there would be another tournament next year, one that she was sure to win.

A week had passed since the end of the Vytal Festival, and what Blake had revealed to Weiss was still weighing heavily on her mind. What disturbed Weiss the most was that she hadn't known. She was supposed to inherit the Schnee Dust Company someday. How could she have been ignorant to the fact that it exploited faunus child labor? Had she been too naïve to ask the right questions, or had Father simply been too crafty in his cover-up? It was tempting to lay the blame at Father's feet, but Weiss had a bad feeling that the real reason she hadn't known was because she hadn't wanted to.

Yang had been furious when Weiss had revealed the details of what Blake had shared with her. She'd been ready to rampage all the way to Atlas, straight for the Schnee Dust Company headquarters. Fortunately, Weiss had managed to calm her down. Satisfying though it would be, Weiss knew that punching Father in his face wouldn't make things better.

Over in the powder room, the sound of Yang's hairdryer cut off. Yang was almost done. Weiss was always a bit perplexed that Yang was so meticulous with her hair but so blasé about more important things, like her grades. If Yang spent half as much effort on her schoolwork as she did on her hair, she'd probably be one of Beacon's top students. Weiss supposed that was just who Yang was. She went all out on the things she cared about and just let everything else slide.

The door to the powder room finally opened, and Yang emerged, carrying her basket of hair care products. She walked over to her bed and simply dropped the basket on the floor. Tidiness was clearly not one of the things that Yang cared about, much to Weiss's chagrin, but she'd already made her peace with that. At least Yang's bed was made, which was a rare sight indeed. By Yang's logic, there was no point in "wasting time" making her bed when she was just going to unmake it again the next night. Although these days, Yang's bed actually was made more often than not. It wasn't because she'd suddenly started caring, but because she rarely used her bed anymore. Weiss had discovered that her appetite for cuddles was immense, and she and Yang had gotten into the habit of sharing Weiss's bed at night. Just thinking about it now made Weiss smile.

Yang looked over at Weiss. She said, "It's good to see you smile again. Are you feeling any better?"

"Somewhat," Weiss said. "Have I really been that bad?"

"You've been pretty mopey this week," Yang said.

"I'm sorry," Weiss said. "It's just—"

"Hey. I get it," Yang said. "It couldn't have been easy hearing what Blake had to tell you. Especially since your dad's the prick who's letting it happen. But it's not your fault. You can't be responsible for something that's been going on since before you were born."

"I'll agree that it's not my fault," Weiss said. "But I'm not so sure it isn't my responsibility. I am the heiress to the Company."

"Well then you'll just have to fix everything when you get put in charge," Yang said like it was the simplest thing in the world.

"Yang…" Weiss said. Like usual she'd waited far too long to have a conversation she really needed to have. It was past time that she explained to Yang how she was inadvertently endangering Weiss's status as an heiress. Weiss had considered a dozen different ways of easing into the topic, but she realized now that none of them were the right way to go about it. This was Yang. It would be the straightforward approach or nothing.

Weiss walked up to Yang. She took a hold of Yang by her jacket and pulled her into a kiss. Yang let out a surprised sound, but it was swallowed by Weiss's lips. Weiss's hands clutched the fabric of Yang's jacket even tighter as her lips pressed hard into Yang's. She kissed Yang like it was the last time she ever would.

When Weiss finally pulled back, Yang smiled big. She said, "That was nice, but what was it for?"

"It was to make sure you know how much I love you," Weiss said, her hands still clinging to Yang's jacket.

"I'd say you succeeded," Yang said.

Weiss smiled, but her smile quickly faded. She let go of Yang and walked over to the window. Staring at the world on the other side of the glass, she said, "Yang. As long as we're together, Father will never let me take control of the Schnee Dust Company."

Weiss wasn't looking at Yang, but she could still picture the horrified looked that was doubtlessly crossing Yang's face. "What?!" Yang said. "But you're his heiress and all that!"

"I wasn't always," Weiss said. "Winter was supposed to inherit the company until she did something that made her unsuitable in Father's eyes."

"But Weiss, that's your big dream!" Yang said. "To run the Company like your grandpa did!"

"I don't think my grandfather's company exists anymore," Weiss said. "Father has corrupted it into something monstrous."

"That doesn't mean you should give up!" Yang said.

Weiss didn't say anything. She just kept looking out the window. The weather was far too pleasant today in her opinion. She would have much preferred rain and thunder. It would suit her mood better.

"Weiss," Yang said. "Please look at me."

Weiss slowly turned to face Yang. She was floored by what she saw. There were tears in the corners of Yang's eyes. She was actually on the verge of crying!

"If…" Yang stammered. "If you're saying you want to break up with me…."

"No! Absolutely not!" Weiss exclaimed, surprising even herself with how emphatically she'd said it.

"But your big plan," Yang said.

"It wouldn't mean a thing if I didn't have you by my side," Weiss said.

"Oh…Weiss," Yang said. Her mouth opened once or twice more as she tried to find words to express herself. Words weren't necessary however. The look of wonderment on her face said it all.

Yang gave up on trying to find something to say and pulled Weiss into a big hug instead. The two of them just stood there like that for several minutes. Tears from Yang's eyes wet the shoulder of Weiss's Jacket. If Weiss had harbored any lingering doubts about her feelings for Yang, they'd been completely swept away. She needed Yang in her life, no matter what.

Eventually, Yang pushed Weiss back and said, "There's got to be a way! You shouldn't have to give up on your dream just because of your dad's stupid ideals."

"I agree with you," Weiss said. "But I don't see how."

"What if…" Yang said. Weiss could see the wheels turning in her head. "What if we wait until your dad makes you the boss? Then we can tell everyone about us once it's too late for him to take it back."

"Yang, that would be decades from now," Weiss said.

"So?" Yang asked. "That's still decades I'd have with you."

"You'd really hold on to the secret for that long?" Weiss asked.

"Of course!" Yang said.

"If we somehow did manage to do that, when we announced our relationship publicly it'll be a media circus," Weiss said. "They'll be pounding down your door day and night just to ask you a few questions."

"You bet they will," Yang said. "They'll all be jealous of my super-hot wife!"

Weiss's mouth fell open. "Did you just say…wife?" she asked.

"Yup!" Yang said.

"Isn't it a little early to be talking about that?" Weiss asked, but she was secretly elated that she hadn't been the only one thinking along those lines.

"Well yeah. It's way too early now," Yang said. "But decades from now…."

"I see your point," Weiss said. She sighed. "It's a nice idea, but let's be realistic. There's no way Father won't find out before then."

"He hasn't found out yet," Yang said.

"But he will," Weiss said.

"Then we'll deal with it," Yang said. "Just promise me that you won't give up on your dream."

"I promise," Weiss said, and she fully intended to keep her promise to Yang. But she knew now that her dreams had changed.

Yang let out a long breath. "Well that was all pretty intense," she said. "I think you and I need to go do something fun."

"I'd love to, but…." Weiss pulled out her scroll and glanced at the time. "I have to be at the CCTT in ten minutes. I have a communication session scheduled. It's important that I don't miss it."

"Alright," Yang said. "Send me a message when you're done then?"

"I will," Weiss said.

* * *

Precisely eight-and-a-half minutes later, Weiss was riding up the elevator to the top of the CCT Tower. She glanced at herself in the mirrored surface of the elevator door. She couldn't help but think that her expression was one of a woman facing down her own execution. She supposed she wasn't too far off the mark. She had no idea how her impending call would go, but it might very well spell the end of what had defined her life since she'd been very young. If that turned out to be the case, Weiss had no regrets. She was a better, more fully realized person than the one who'd stepped onto Beacon's campus last spring and promptly gotten into an argument with a bright young girl named Ruby Rose.

Weiss's mind began drifting, as it often did these days, to thoughts of Yang. She wouldn't have believed that it was possible for her to fall more in love with Yang, but it seemed she'd done just that. Seeing how devastated Yang was at the prospect of their relationship ending, knowing that Yang was thinking about a future where they were married, and learning how far Yang was willing to go to let Weiss take her rightful place as head of the Schnee Dust Company, had deeply touched Weiss's heart.

The elevator doors opened, and Weiss stepped out into the communications room. A holographic receptionist appeared at the front desk and said to Weiss, "Good morning, Miss Schnee. Terminal Three has been prepared for your session today."

"Thank you," Weiss said. She walked across the room over to her assigned terminal and sat down. Her fingers drummed nervously on the console as she impatiently waited for it to establish a connection.

After what seemed like an eternity, the terminal flickered to life, and Winter's face appeared on the screen. "Weiss. We must be brief," Winter said in lieu of a greeting. "What is it you wished to discuss?"

"Did you know?" Weiss asked.

"You'll have to elaborate," Winter said.

"Did you know what our family's company does to the faunus?" Weiss asked.

"In general, yes," Winter said. "But by your tone of voice I assume you've discovered some specific offense."

"My…schoolmate, who is a faunus, told me of how she started working in the Company's mines at the age of six for little pay under brutal conditions," Weiss said.

The slight downturn of Winter's eyes was the only indication that she'd been affected by Weiss's statement at all, but for her, it was a dramatic gesture. She said, "I see."

"Is that all you have to say?" Weiss asked. "She has scars from where she was whipped!"

"That is unfortunate, and I do not condone it," Winter said. "But what would you have me do?"

"You were the heiress to the Company once," Weiss said.

"That burden has fallen to you," Winter said. "I understand now. You believe it's your responsibility to end the faunus plight."

"It is my responsibility," Weiss said.

"You could have a positive impact, no doubt," Winter said. "But do not be foolish enough to think that just one person could make the Company completely change its ways."

"Father is one person," Weiss said. "He succeeded quite handily at changing the company's ways."

"Don't be so sure of that. I know you idolize Grandfather, but the faunus of his day were thought of as little better than animals by all but the most enlightened," Winter said. "Regardless, the Schnee Dust Company is unto a kingdom. Father may be king, but kings can be deposed. Let us not forget the Company's board members, investors, managers, and foremen. The Company could not do what it does without their consent, implicit or otherwise. If you wish to save the faunus, you will have to change the culture that allows such things to happen."

Weiss hated what Winter was saying. She hated it even more that Winter was right.

Winter asked, "You've spoken to Yang about this, I trust?"

"Yes," Weiss said.

"Then it's come down to it, as I knew it would," Winter said. "There are other ways to fight for the faunus. But if you want to do it from within the Company, you will have to give up Yang."

"I know," Weiss whispered.

"It is clear which choice you wish to make," Winter said.

"Am I being foolish?" Weiss asked.

"The foolish thing would have been to rush to a decision without considering the repercussions. Clearly, you haven't done that," Winter said.

Winter's head turned to the side like she was listening to someone. She turned back to the camera and said, "I must go. You will need courage to continue down this path. Courage like you've never known before. No matter what happens, remember that I believe in you. And I am proud of you."

"Thank you, Winter," Weiss said.

The screen in front of Weiss went dark. She stared at it for a long time. Truthfully, she didn't know why she was still hesitating. She'd already made up her mind. The allure of the Schnee Dust Company had nothing on Yang. And even under the best of circumstances, it would take years to change things. Weiss absolutely would not preside over a company that tortured and exploited children.

Weiss reached out and pushed the call button on the terminal in front of her. The screen lit up again, and an image of the automated receptionist appeared.

"Yes, Miss Schnee," the receptionist said. "What can I do for you?"

"I need to make a call to Schnee Company world headquarters in Atlas," Weiss said.

"Absolutely," the receptionist said. "Please stand by while I connect you."

Weiss hadn't scheduled a communication session with Father, but he would almost certainly be found in his office at the Company's headquarters right now. With as many requests as he'd sent her through the CCT Network, she knew he'd take her call immediately.

Weiss had no idea what she was going to say to Father. Maybe she could cite her future career as a huntress as the reason she was stepping down and leave it at that. He'd be furious, but far less furious than if she told him that not only was she gay, she also had a girlfriend.

Now that Weiss had made her decision, she could see that giving up her future control of the Company was for the best. With her no longer being Father's heir, the burden of being perfect in his eyes would lessen considerably. She might even be able to get away with keeping Yang a secret for long enough until it didn't matter anymore. It was a pity, because Weiss almost wanted to tell Father about Yang. What was the worst he could do to her? She had a full scholarship to Beacon, and he had already cut her off from her trust fund. Admittedly, not having access to her money this week had been trying for Weiss. She'd had to put on a brave face for Yang and pretend that she didn't care about it. Knowing where her money came from had dimmed its appeal, but Weiss would be lying to herself if she said she knew how to survive without it. She'd most likely have to endure being cut off from her money for a few more weeks since she was about to raise Father's ire even further, but she could handle that. Sooner or later Father would relent and give her back access to what was hers.

On the monitor in front of Weiss another receptionist, this one a live human being, appeared. She said, "Thank you for calling Atlas—oh! Miss Schnee! What can I do for you?"

"I'd like to speak to my father, please," Weiss said.

"I'm sorry, ma'am," the receptionist said. "He left just an hour ago on a business trip taking him out of the kingdom."

"I see," Weiss said. "Then please let him know I called. Tell him…tell him I'm ready to talk."

"I will do exactly that, ma'am," the receptionist said. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"No. Thank you," Weiss said. She hit the button to end the call and the screen went dark.

Weiss would have preferred to have gotten her conversation with Father over with sooner rather than later, but she supposed that was what she got for ignoring him for so long. She stood and walked to the elevator. When the doors opened, she stepped inside and hit the button for the ground floor.

The doors closed, and Weiss took a long, hard look at her reflection. She had expected to see apprehension or anxiety on her face, but they were conspicuously absent. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that there was no reason at all for her to be upset. She'd finally decided her future. For the first time in far too long her path was clear, and that path led right to Yang.

A smile worked its way onto Weiss's face. She realized that there was nothing holding her back anymore. And with her newfound freedom there was something she wanted so badly to do. She pulled out her scroll and typed in a message to Yang.

 _Me:  
I'm finished at the CCTT. Meet me in the dorm room in half an hour._

It didn't take long for Yang to reply.

 _Yang Xiao Long:  
Ok ill c u there_

Weiss slipped her scroll back into her pocket. Taking Yang's chronic tardiness into account, she would have about forty-five minutes. That should be plenty of time for her to get ready for what she had in mind. She was going to show Yang just how much she loved her in a way that not even Yang would see coming.

* * *

 _Author's Note: Before you ask, I have no idea who beat Yang in the finals. I don't even really know who was in the singles round without Cinder there to manipulate the roster. Contrary to what I said in this chapter, in the actual show most of the finalists were first-year students, but that never made much sense to me (beyond the meta-explanation of them being established characters). I'll chalk it up to being due to Cinder's interference._

 _As always, I welcome constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave a review. And if you like what you've read, taking the time to favorite and/or follow really helps me out. You can also find me on tumblr (electronicyarn) if you want to send me a message or be notified of updates._


	22. A Kiss of Sunshine

**Chapter 22: A Kiss of Sunshine**

Weiss's heart was fluttering in her chest by the time she got back to Team RWBY's dorm room. She was pleased to see that no one else was there, although that was what she'd been expecting. She'd already sent messages to Ruby's and Blake's scrolls warning them away, and Yang wouldn't be showing up for at least another forty minutes.

Weiss went over to her bed and lifted up her mattress. She sifted through her ever-growing collection of letters from Yang until she found the one she was looking for. She pulled it out from the pile and set the mattress down.

Weiss walked over to the writing desk. She opened the envelope in her hand and pulled out an extra sheet of paper that had been tucked in with Yang's letter. Weiss already knew what the sheet of paper said, but she read it again anyway to reassure herself. Yang had visited a doctor's office weeks ago to get tested. On the paper were the results, and true to Yang's word, she had passed free and clear. Medically speaking, there was nothing preventing her and Weiss from being together, and Weiss had decided now was the time to take advantage of that fact.

Weiss set the paper and envelope down on the desk. She walked over to the window and closed the shades. Then she went to the closet. Yang had been fond of leaving her sock on the doorknob for situations like this, but Weiss had something prettier and far more subtle in mind. She retrieved the thin ribbon that she wore around her neck as part of her school uniform.

Ribbon in hand, Weiss walk to the door. She opened it up and looked down the hallway twice in both directions. When she was satisfied that no one was there to see her, she tied the ribbon onto the doorknob. She glanced briefly at Team JNPR's door, half expecting Nora to pop out of it. Fortunately, the door stayed firmly closed, and Weiss was able to duck back into Team RWBY's room without having to answer any awkward questions.

Weiss went back to the closet. She didn't really have a plan as to what to do to get ready for Yang's arrival, but she did have a goal. She wanted to do to Yang what Yang had done to her that day a sock had first appeared on the doorknob. She wanted Yang's jaw to hit the floor the moment she walked into the room. Unfortunately for Weiss, she hit a snag almost immediately. She quickly went through every piece of clothing she had in the closet and found nothing that was up to the task. She had outfits aplenty to dress casually, formally, comfortably, or elegantly, but not a single one of them was what she'd call sexy. She briefly considered wearing the azure dress that Yang had picked out for her at Giallo, but it was all wrong for what Weiss had in mind.

Weiss started to fret. She supposed she could always let Yang catch her in nothing more than her underwear, but she wasn't sure if that would send the right message either. She wanted to seduce Yang not throw herself at Yang's feet.

Out of desperation, Weiss took off her bolero jacket. She pulled a hanger out and hung it up neatly before returning it to the closet. Exposing her arms and shoulders was hardly momentous, but Weiss figured that showing off some skin was a start. Weiss looked down at her boots next. She seemed to remember hearing that some people found bare feet attractive. She had no idea if Yang was one of them, but she decided it couldn't hurt. She sat down in the desk chair and pulled off her boots and socks, leaving them tucked unobtrusively underneath the desk.

One thing that Weiss did know Yang liked was her hair. Yang never could resist running her fingers through it on the occasion that Weiss let it down. Weiss pulled out her tiara and set it down on the desk, letting her hair fall loosely around her shoulders. She spent a few minutes arranging it so that it was lying just right.

Weiss stood, pulled out her scroll, and used its camera to look herself over. She let out a forlorn sigh. It was painfully obvious that she didn't have the first clue as to what she was doing. She didn't look alluring in the slightest, she just looked half-dressed.

Weiss set her scroll on the desk and tapped her finger against it in frustration. She started to think that maybe this had been a bad idea. She supposed it wasn't too late for her to call things off. She could send Yang a message telling her not to come, or even better, just forget that she'd planned on doing this at all and take Yang out on a proper date instead. She had no idea where she'd take Yang for said date, especially since neither of them had much money to pay for anything, but Yang was good at coming up with ideas on the fly.

Weiss had just about convinced herself that going out with Yang on a nice, safe, ordinary date was the right thing to do when the door to the room opened. Weiss's eyebrows shot up in alarm. She hadn't realized it had been over half an hour since she'd messaged Yang. Her eyes frantically darted between her tiara on the desk, her boots on the floor, and the closet where her jacket was hanging. Unfortunately, it was far too late for her to re-dress.

Yang walked through the door and said, "Hiya, Weiss. Did you put that—whoa! What's happening here?"

"I, uh…" Weiss said.

"Does this have something to do with that ribbon on the doorknob?" Yang asked.

"I thought…" Weiss's voice dropped to a whisper. "I thought it was more seemly than a sock."

"Oh. Oh!" Yang said. A grin crossed her face. "Why Miss Weiss. Are you trying to seduce me?"

Weiss blushed furiously. "Yes," she admitted.

"That is adorable," Yang said.

"Shut up!" Weiss snapped. "I've never done anything like this before."

"Mmm," Yang said, practically purring. "I'd love to give you lessons."

Weiss blushed even redder. The thought of Yang instructing her in the art of seduction put several very inappropriate images into her head.

Yang apparently noticed because she laughed. She said, "Don't be embarrassed, Weissy. You already seduced me a long time ago."

Yang walked over to Weiss. She took a moment to run her fingers appreciatively through Weiss's hair. Then she put her hands on Weiss's shoulders and planted a tender kiss on her forehead. She said, "So you want to undress me a little more, eh?"

"Yang," Weiss said softly. "I'm ready."

"Ready for…oh!" Yang said. "Really?"

"Yes," Weiss said.

"Like, really-really?" Yang asked.

"Yes!" Weiss said.

"Hold on a second!" Yang said. She stepped back from Weiss and started pulling at the buckles on her boots. A moment later she'd yanked off her boots, socks, and the bandana she wore around her left knee, leaving them all in a pile on the floor.

"Sorry. Boots always get in the way of the moment," Yang said. "Is this really happening?"

"Do you not want it to?" Weiss asked.

"Of course I do!" Yang said. "I'm just surprised is all."

"Why is that?" Weiss asked.

"I thought you'd need more time," Yang said.

"I made a decision today, Yang," Weiss said. "You're the most important person in my life. I love you, and I want to be with you. In every sense of the word."

A big smile spread across Yang's face. She opened her mouth to say something, but she was too amazed to speak. Had Weiss been less emotional at the moment, she might have laughed. It was rare that she saw Yang speechless.

"Please, Yang. I want to do this," Weiss said. "I just…need you to show me how."

"All you had to do was ask," Yang said sweetly. She pulled Weiss into a kiss. Weiss could taste the tenderness on Yang's lips, and she could feel the love in Yang's touch. She was incredibly nervous, but her nerves were soothed knowing that Yang would never do anything to hurt her.

Yang broke the kiss. She took Weiss's left hand and guided it up to her jacket's zipper. Weiss looked at Yang, and Yang nodded reassuringly at her. Weiss pulled the zipper down, opening Yang's Jacket. Then she pushed the jacket off of Yang's shoulders, and let it fall to the floor. Yang quickly pulled off her gloves and her scarf and tossed them all aside.

Weiss reached out and slipped her fingers underneath Yang's crop top. This part at least she'd done before, and she felt her confidence rising. She hadn't realized at the time what a boon Yang's offer to let her explore things at her own pace had been. She'd have to remember to thank Yang later.

Yang lifted her arms and let Weiss pull her top up and over her head. Underneath, Yang had on a simple, white cotton bra. Even as plain and utilitarian as it was, Weiss still thought it looked enticing on Yang. She took a moment to admire the view.

Yang said, "Don't stop there, Weissy."

Weiss nodded. Her hands found Yang's belt and unfastened it. Yang slipped off her short shorts and let them slide down her legs. She stepped back out of her clothing and stood before Weiss. Weiss felt breathless. Yang's beauty was almost too much to behold.

Yang slowly ran a hand down her side and let it come to a rest on her hip. Weiss's eyes followed, completely entranced. Yang took a few sauntering steps forward. She placed her finger underneath Weiss's chin and tilted it up until their eyes met. Weiss thought that Yang was about to make some snarky comment about her eyes being up there, but instead, Yang leaned in and placed a scorching kiss on Weiss's lips.

Weiss's eyes closed and Yang pressed her body in close. Weiss could feel everything, and it was making her blissfully dizzy. Yang's lips pulled away, but then they started leaving a trail of kisses along Weiss's jawline until they found Weiss's earlobe and began to nibble.

Weiss felt like she should be doing something, but she was already too distracted to think clearly. Yang's lips moved down Weiss's neck, and Weiss sucked in a sharp breath when Yang found a particularly pleasurable spot. Yang always seemed to know just the right places to touch her. It hardly seemed fair, but Weiss couldn't bring herself to complain.

Yang's hands reached for the straps holding up Weiss's dress. Suddenly, Weiss snapped back to reality. She pulled herself out of Yang's arms and spun around, putting her back to Yang.

"Uh…Weiss?" Yang asked. "Are you okay?"

"I'm…I'm fine," Weiss said. She felt incredibly foolish. She'd known that what she'd been planning on doing with Yang involved both of them undressing, but like usual, she hadn't fully process that fact until the moment was upon her.

"You don't sound fine," Yang said.

"I'm sorry, I…" Weiss trailed off.

"We don't have to do this if you don't feel comfortable with it," Yang said. She tried her best to hide the disappointment in her voice, but Weiss could still hear it.

"No. I want to do this," Weiss said, although she still wasn't facing Yang.

"Do you? Or do you want to want to?" Yang asked. "You only get one shot at your first time. I want to make sure it's good for you."

Weiss was at a loss. How could she explain to Yang what she was feeling right now? She wasn't sure she even knew.

"Weiss, please look at me," Yang said.

Weiss slowly turned around. Insecurity about her looks had never been one of her problems, but seeing Yang now, with her body unabashedly on display, Weiss couldn't help but feel just the tiniest bit inadequate. And maybe that was the heart of the issue. Yang was sexy. She was uninhibited. She was experienced. And she'd already demonstrated that she more than knew what she was doing. Weiss couldn't hope to measure up, and she wasn't used to accepting anything less than excellence in everything she did.

Weiss sighed longingly. "You're so beautiful," she said.

"You're beautiful too," Yang said. "You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

"I'm not sure I believe that. But thank you," Weiss said.

"I mean it," Yang said. "Love makes you beautiful. And you were already beautiful before I fell in love with you."

Weiss smiled. Despite her reluctance, there was no doubt in her mind that this was what she wanted. She reached up and slid the straps of her dress off her shoulders. The dress pooled at her feet.

Yang grinned wide. She spent a minute looking Weiss over. Weiss couldn't help but feel embarrassed, but the thrilled look on Yang's face gave her reassurance.

"Hmmm," Yang said, circling around Weiss. "You really have been holding out on me."

"What do you mean?" Weiss asked.

"Your butt is amazing," Yang said. "I've got to talk you into wearing pants sometime."

Yang came back around to Weiss's front and cupped her cheeks in her hands. She looked lovingly into Weiss's eyes. "Do you trust me?" she asked.

"Of course I do," Weiss said.

Yang's eyes soften. Weiss could see the love shining in them. Their lips met, and they kissed like the lovers they were about to become.

* * *

 _Author's Note: I didn't think I was going to be able to get this chapter out today, but here we are. Don't let movies and TV shows fool you! Seducing someone is hard to do! Weiss's attempt here went a whole lot better than anything I've ever managed to pull off._

 _As always, I welcome constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave a review. And if you like what you've read, taking the time to favorite and/or follow really helps me out. You can also find me on tumblr (electronicyarn) if you want to send me a message or be notified of updates._


	23. The Crane, the Mountain, and the Daisy

**Chapter 23: The Crane, the Mountain, and the Daisy**

 _The night wind threaded through the tall blades of field grass. Each rustling sound pricked the ears of Flying Crane as he stalked the fields with flawlessly silent footsteps. The moon was bright, but Flying Crane was a true disciple of the Way of the Ninja. Mastery of being unseen was the art of his clan, but the prey that he stalked was no less skilled than he. No other prey would be worthy of his sword, and oh how his sword hungered to bite the skin of one who was worthy._

 _Again, the wind nestled itself in the bosom of the field, and with it came a sound. This sound was no more than a single blade of grass brushing against a foot, but no ninja worthy of the name would make so careless a mistake but by intention. Flying Crane's eyes narrowed. He touched the well of chakra deep inside of himself and extended his senses._

 _Flying Crane's eyes opened widely as he sensed the danger before it came. His hand darted out like the tongue of a frog and plucked a shuriken out of the air. Like the prowling lion, Mountain Snow, rival to Flying Crane and heir to the most hated Clan Usajo, pounced on Flying Crane out from the veil of darkness. Ninja swords clashed in the night as the greatest swordsmen alive plied their art. Flurious blows were struck, too fast for mere human eyes to see and in too great a number to count._

 _One final clash brightened the night as two swords ground against one another, fighting for dominance. No one man was able to dominate the other, so they leaped away and landed a distance apart._

 _"Mountain Snow!" Flying Crane roared. "I hope you have washed your neck to prepare for this day!"_

 _"Fu, fu, fu, fu, fu," Mountain Snow cackled. "Flying Crane. You are twenty years too early to realize your defeat."_

 _Mountain Snow twirled his blade up to his sheath. It slid in slowly until blade met sheath with a click. Simultaneously, Flying Crane's tunic exploded in a fireburst of fiber, exposing the fruits of his ninja training. Powerful yet lithe muscles adorned his chest, as deadly as they were pleasing to the eye._

 _"In-incredible!" Flying Crane declared. "Such speed! Such precision! To strike a thousand times and not draw blood!"_

 _"This is the essence of Clan Usajo's art. To draw blood would despoil such a magnificence," Mountain Snow gloated. "Perhaps now you see how hopelessly outmatched you are."_

 _"Never!" Flying Crane postured. "You would not be so brave if it was you who bared your chest and not I!"_

 _"Let us find out!" Mountain Snow exclaimed. "Forbidden Technique of the Clan Usajo! One that has felled the hearts of countless men! Full Body Masculine Blossom!"_

 _With a flexing of his glorious muscles, Mountain Snow's physique doubled. His gi was powerless to contain his manly glory. The fabric tore to tatters and was blow away as if by a great wind._

 _"So…so beautiful!" Flying Crane shouted._

Weiss frowned at the book in her hands. She wasn't sure what she'd been expecting when she'd taken _Ninjas of Love_ off of Blake's bookshelf, but this certainly wasn't it. She didn't understand how this tawdry, poorly written story could hold the interest of an intelligent person like Blake.

Weiss was alone, sitting at the writing desk in Team RWBY's dorm room, which was the only reason she'd been feeling bold enough to search through Blake's book collection for the supposed smut that Yang had claimed was there. Weiss had grabbed _Ninjas of Love_ because of its title. She'd had a hunch that it was adult-oriented in nature, and she'd certainly been right.

Weiss wondered if anyone would believe her if she told them the reason why she was perusing Blake's smut. It was all because of yesterday. Yang had been incredible, and Weiss felt like she'd barely done a thing. Weiss didn't regret any of what had happened, and Yang had repeatedly insisted that seeing how good she made Weiss feel was satisfaction enough for now, but it still seemed unfair to Weiss. She was determined that Yang would not go unfulfilled the next time, or ever again.

Weiss may have been a novice in the ways of love, but she was a superb student. She was ready to learn how to please Yang, but to do that she needed study material. Unfortunately, the titular ninjas of _Ninjas of Love_ were both men, which made the book useless to her. It was just as well. Even Weiss could see that Flying Crane was about to lose the rest of his clothing, and she really didn't want to read about that.

Suddenly, the door to the room opened. Weiss slammed _Ninjas of Love_ shut in a panic and dropped it on the desk. Thinking quickly, she grabbed one of her textbooks and set it open in front of her on top of the book she'd pilfered from Blake.

It was Blake herself who walked into the room, much to Weiss's surprise. Blake had gone off somewhere with Velvet not so long ago. The two of them didn't socialize often, but when they did, it was usually an all-day event. Weiss knew it must be nice for Blake to be able to speak freely with a fellow faunus, although Blake had never said as much.

"Hello, Weiss," Blake said. She glanced at the textbook on the desk. "Doing some reviewing for the Grimm Studies exam next week?"

"Uh…yes!" Weiss said. "I wasn't expecting you to get back here so soon."

"Velvet got a call from Yatsuhashi," Blake explained. "She left to go help him out."

"Was it something important?" Weiss asked.

"I don't think so," Blake said.

"Then why did she leave?" Weiss asked.

"She has a crush on him," Blake said. "He doesn't know it though."

"She's never told him?" Weiss asked.

"She's too scared to," Blake said. "She isn't sure if Yatsuhashi would want to date a faunus."

"I've never known him to be prejudice against the faunus," Weiss said.

"That doesn't mean he'd be comfortable going again social norms," Blake said.

"I see your point," Weiss said. Unfortunately, she understood what Blake was saying all too well.

"I just came back here to read," Blake said, "But I can go to the library if you think I'm going to disrupt your studying."

"You don't have to leave," Weiss said. "Unlike a certain pair of sisters I could name, you actually know how to do things quietly."

Blake smiled. As if to drive the point home, she didn't say anything more. She just walked over to the bookshelf and started browsing through her collection.

Weiss turned to the desk. She hadn't planned on studying right now—at least not for school—but with _Ninjas of Love_ hidden under her textbook, she was stuck. She supposed she could always just pretend to study until Blake became absorbed in her reading, but she'd still have to figure out how to get _Ninjas of Love_ back onto the bookshelf. She realized too late that she should have asked Blake to go to the library after all.

Behind Weiss, Blake was running her finger along the spines of her books. She paused when she came to a conspicuous gap. Her head tilted slightly in curiosity. Had Weiss been able to see the smirk that crossed Blake's lips, she would've found it concerning.

Seemingly out of the blue, Blake said, "You've been unusually mellow since yesterday, Weiss."

Weiss looked over at Blake and asked, "Have I?"

"Yes, you have," Blake said. She walked over to the writing desk and stood next to Weiss. "It's funny, because Ruby told me that she had to wait for hours before you and Yang would let her back into the room."

A blush crept up Weiss's cheeks, but she kept her cool. She said, "I don't see what you're getting at."

"Nothing at all," Blake said. "But I just noticed that one of my books is missing."

"Maybe…maybe Yang or Ruby took it," Weiss offered feebly.

"I might believe that," Blake said. "Except we already took the test on that chapter you're studying months ago."

Weiss looked down. Sure enough, she'd opened her textbook to an old subject. She sighed, realizing she'd been caught. She reluctantly closed her textbook and moved it aside, revealing _Ninjas of Love_.

"If you wanted to borrow one of my books, you only had to ask," Blake said. "But why did you pick that one?"

"I was told you had a collection of…exotic literature," Weiss said.

"By Yang no doubt," Blake said.

Weiss looked surprised. "How did you know that?" she asked.

"Yang isn't nearly as sneaky as she thinks she is," Blake said. "She's already 'borrowed' quite a few of my books, which doesn't surprise me, but I didn't think you'd be the type to be into that sort of thing."

"I'm not!" Weiss insisted. "I was just…looking for something…informative."

"Informative about what?" Blake asked slyly.

"That's none of your business!" Weiss snapped.

Blake chuckled. "But you thought you'd find what you were looking for in a yaoi light novel?" she asked.

"I didn't know that's what it was!" Weiss said. "What else should I have done? It's not like I can go down to one of the consoles in the library and type in 'How do I please my girlfriend in bed'!"

Weiss clapped a hand over her mouth when she realized what she'd just said. Blake had almost certainly already known, but that didn't make it any less mortifying. Blake looked amused.

Weiss lowered her hand and sighed. "Please don't tell Ruby about this," she said.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Blake said. "But I imagine after she stopped being horrified, she'd be happy to know you're trying to do your best for Yang."

"I'd rather not find out if that's the case," Weiss said. "Can we please change the subject?"

Blake chuckled. She picked _Ninjas of Love_ up off the desk and said, "If you're looking for…inspiration, this book isn't going to be very helpful."

"I gathered that," Weiss said.

Blake walked over to the bookshelf and slid _Ninjas of Love_ back into place. Then she pulled out a different book and walked back to Weiss.

"This should be a bit more along the lines of what you're looking for," Blake said, handing the book to Weiss.

" _My Daisy_?" Weiss asked, reading off the title.

"Its love scenes are fairly realistic from what I understand," Blake said. "But take everything in it with a grain of salt. It's still just a work of fiction."

"I will," Weiss said, setting the book down on the desk in front of her. "Thank you, Blake."

"You're welcome," Blake said.

Weiss supposed it would have been best just to ask Blake for her recommendation in the first place, but she hadn't even considered doing that. It wasn't because she didn't trust Blake. She did, but there was something in the back of Weiss's mind that had been bothering her about Blake all week. She finally realized what it was.

Weiss said, "Blake? Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course," Blake said.

"Are we friends?" Weiss asked.

Blake chuckled. "I don't think I'd be lending you my 'exotic literature' if we weren't," she said.

"Yes, but…" Weiss said. "I'm a Schnee. Why don't you hate me?"

"I did at first," Blake said.

Weiss flinched. She'd had no idea, although knowing what Blake had been through as a child, Weiss couldn't blame her. But that didn't make it any easier to hear. Weiss asked, "What happened to change your mind?"

"Yang did," Blake said.

"She did? How?" Weiss asked.

"Because she accepted you," Blake said. "Yang's one of the best friends I've ever had, and she's probably the least prejudiced person I've ever met. She never judged me for what I am, just like she never judged you for who you are. She made me realize that if I dismissed you out of hand before I even knew who you were, I'd be no better than the people I've been struggling against my entire life."

"Yang does have a way of making you question your assumptions," Weiss said.

"That's very true," Blake said. "Did you know I chose her as my partner?"

"You did? How could you have done that?" Weiss asked. "We were flung off that cliff at random."

"With as much noise as Yang makes, it wasn't hard to track her down in the Emerald Forest," Blake said.

"You have a point there," Weiss said.

"She was the only person at Beacon who made an effort to try and be my friend that first day," Blake said. "Even if I did my best to brush her off."

"I'm glad you chose her as your partner," Weiss said. "I think it's been good, for all four of us, to be friends."

"I agree," Blake said. "Now, I believe you have some reading to do. I want Yang to be bragging to me later about how good her girlfriend was in bed."

"What!? Yang wouldn't do that!" Weiss exclaimed. "Would she?"

Blake answered with a smirk. She didn't say anything more. She just strolled over to the bookshelf and picked out a book to read.

Weiss made a mental note to have a very important discussion with Yang later. She turned to the book Blake had given her and opened it up to the first chapter.

 _I didn't know it at the time, but that summer would go down in the history books as one of the hottest and driest on record. The drought it would bring would nearly strangle the life out of our small settlement. But it would also be the most important summer of my life. I would meet the woman who would change everything. My savior. My soul mate. My Daisy. But as I said, I didn't know it at the time. I didn't know anything except that I was young and life was mine for the taking._

* * *

Hours later, Weiss was still sitting at the writing desk. _My Daisy_ was open to a page in the middle of the book. Several sheets of paper were lying next to it, and Weiss was scribbling down notes as she read.

Weiss couldn't speak to the realism of the book's love scenes, but they certainly didn't lack in frequency. The narrator and "her Daisy" seemed to take any and every opportunity to express their love physically. Weiss would have to collate and condense her notes later when she was done.

Weiss reached the end of the love scene she was reading. She began to skim through the book for the next one when her scroll started ringing.

Weiss pulled her scroll out of her pocket. A number she didn't recognize was on the screen. She couldn't imagine who might be calling her, but the number was local. She tapped the button to answer.

"Hello?" Weiss said into her scroll.

"Hello, Ms. Schnee," a calm voice said on the other end. "I hope I'm not disturbing anything important."

"Professor Ozpin?" Weiss asked.

"Yes," Ozpin said. "I apologize for contacting you in this presumptive manner, but I have received news that I feel is in your best interest to be informed of as quickly as possible."

"What is it?" Weiss asked.

"Your father has sent word. He has, shall we say, 'requested' a meeting with me. In person," Ozpin said.

Weiss's heart leaped into her throat. "Does that mean…my father is coming to Beacon?"

"No, Ms. Schnee," Ozpin said. "Your father is here. His airship has already landed. I would have informed you sooner, but I was only just made aware of it myself."

Weiss suddenly felt nauseous. She asked, "Did he say why he came?"

"I wasn't told specifically what was to be discussed between your father and myself," Ozpin said. "But if you should wish to join us, you will find my office open to you."

"Thank you, Professor," Weiss said.

"You're quite welcome," Ozpin said. "If you'll excuse me, I must prepare for your father's imminent arrival."

"Of course," Weiss said. "Goodbye."

Weiss slowly lowered her scroll.

Blake, who had been reading silently on her bed, asked, "Did I hear that right?"

Weiss had almost forgotten that Blake was in the room. She glanced over at her. The worried look on Blake's face mirrored the one on her own. "Yes. My Father is here," Weiss said. She almost couldn't believe it.

"What do you think he wants?" Blake asked.

"I don't know," Weiss said. "But I'm going to find out."

* * *

 _Author's Note: I may have had a little too much fun writing my version of_ Ninjas of Love _. And speaking of fictional novels, if there is a real novel titled_ My Daisy _, I've never heard of it, and I am in no way making reference to it._

 _Despite the great appeal of Crosshares, I really like Velvet/Yatsuhashi. It's a pity how little of it I come across. I don't even know the proper ship name. =(_

 _As always, I welcome constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave a review. And if you like what you've read, taking the time to favorite and/or follow really helps me out. You can also find me on tumblr (electronicyarn) if you want to send me a message or be notified of updates._


	24. Strictly a Matter of Business

**Chapter 24: Strictly a Matter of Business**

Weiss's hands were balled up into fists and her stomach was doing flip-flops as she rode the elevator up to the top of Beacon's central tower. It was taking all she had to keep her nerves under control. Speaking with Father was never easy under the best of circumstances, and these were not the best of circumstances. Father had good reason to be furious at her for ignoring his calls. Even worse, she had something to hide, and Father had a knack for sniffing out the truth.

Weiss took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to calm herself. She'd been trained to handle high-pressure social situations with ease and grace, ironically by Father himself. She really wished Yang was there with her, but even the thought of Yang would give her strength. She could handle this, she told herself.

The elevator slowed to a stop on the tower's top floor. Weiss put on her best look of confidence. The doors opened, and she walked out into Professor Ozpin's office.

Ozpin was seated at his desk, and sitting across from him, with his back to Weiss, was none other than Jacques Schnee himself.

"Ah, Ms. Schnee," Ozpin said. "It is good of you to join us."

Jacques turned in his seat. "Weiss? What are you doing interrupting us?" he asked.

Weiss was taken aback. "Interrupting you?" she asked. "Did you not come here to see me, Father?"

"I came here for many reasons, and right now I'm in the middle of an important business meeting. When I want to see you, I'll send for you," Jacques said. He turned to Ozpin. "Do you let your students just wander into your office as they please? I thought your school was supposed to instill a sense of discipline."

"My apologies," Ozpin said. "I invited Ms. Schnee here under the assumption that you'd wish to speak with your daughter as soon as possible. Perhaps if I'd been informed of the purpose of your visit to Beacon ahead of time—"

"You can blame James for that," Jacques interrupted. "The man's always been absentminded."

Weiss was completely bewildered. The last thing she'd expected when she'd heard Father had arrived at Beacon was to be brushed off like this. She asked, "What business could you possibly have at Beacon that would require your personal attention, Father?"

"That's between your headmaster and myself," Jacques said. "The last thing the public needs is alarming rumors getting started."

"I think your daughter is intelligent enough to know not to spread rumors," Ozpin said. He turned to Weiss. "There was an…incident of some concern during the Vytal Festival. Fortunately, disaster was averted."

"Narrowly averted from what I hear," Jacques said.

"Clearly, General Ironwood thinks so," Ozpin said. "Otherwise he would not have contacted the Schnee Dust Company, without consulting me I hasten to add, about upgrading Beacon's security."

"Which is what we should get back to," Jacques said. He eyed Weiss. "We'll be discussing your stint of unacceptable behavior later, young lady. Make sure you answer your scroll."

The implicit threat in Jacques's words was not lost on Weiss. "Yes, Father," she said curtly. She turned on her heels and walked back to the elevator.

As soon as the elevator doors closed, Weiss hung her head. She would've much preferred Father to have yelled and screamed at her rather than what had just happened. She knew that business came before family in his eyes—or as he would put it, business was the family—but it was painful being reminded of that fact.

A few errant tears slipped from Weiss's eyes. She dried them and forced herself not to cry. If she wasn't worth Fathers time, he wasn't worth her tears.

The elevator reached the ground floor. Weiss walked out of it considerably more deflated than when she'd first gotten on it today. As she headed for the exit, she put her hand over her pocket. One of Yang's letters was in it like always. At least there was someone in this world who cared about her.

Weiss wandered outside, unsure of what she should do. It probably would be best not to go too far. Father would be summoning her as soon as he was finished with Ozpin, and he'd expect her to arrive promptly. But then again, that could be hours from now.

Suddenly, Weiss heard a smarmy voice behind her say, "Hello, dear sister."

Weiss turned around and saw the last person she'd expected to see at Beacon. "Whitley?!" Weiss exclaimed.

"I'm pleased to see you as well," Whitley said dryly.

"What are you doing here?!" Weiss asked.

"Surprised? You're not the only one," Whitley said. "Would you believe it was Father's idea for me to accompany him?"

"Really?" Weiss asked.

"Yes," Whitley said. "He thinks it will be good for me to see the world outside of Atlas. I suppose I have my sisters to thank for that. Keeping you and Winter cooped up in the mansion clearly did nothing to assure your loyalty to Father."

"Loyalty?" Weiss asked. "Just what do you think is going on here?"

"I'm sure I haven't the faintest idea," Whitley said. "Perhaps you can enlighten me. Why have you refused to speak with Father for months on end?"

Weiss frowned. There was nothing she could say to Whitley that he wouldn't twist to his advantage.

"I see," Whitley said in response to Weiss's non-answer. "You should have seen Father these past few months. He stalked the halls of the mansion, ranting and raving about his ungrateful daughter. But then a strange thing happened. One day it was just back to business as usual."

Weiss knew that Whitley was exaggerating, but probably not by much. She said, "You must be sorry your reprieve is over."

"What do you mean?" Whitley asked.

"Since I'm no longer at home, Father must be turning his full attention to you, just like you always wanted," Weiss said. "Is it everything you dreamed it would be?"

Whitley's mouth turned down in an almost imperceptible frown. He didn't answer Weiss's question. Instead, he gazed out over Beacon's campus and said, "So this is the famed Beacon Academy. Perhaps you should take me on a tour."

"Would you really be interested in one?" Weiss asked.

"Truthfully? No," Whitley said. "I find the concept of huntsmen to be outmoded. The military is a far more efficient method of controlling the grimm. This place reeks of barbarism. I even saw faunus openly carrying weapons. It was very disquieting."

Weiss gritted her teeth. "Those faunus are dedicating their lives to defending our kingdoms," she said.

"How can you know that?" Whitley asked. "Perhaps they're just preparing themselves for the next so-called Faunus Rights Revolution."

"If they are, it's because of people like you," Weiss said.

"Hmm," Whitley said, sounding amused. "After all the atrocities the White Fang have perpetrated against our family, you're actually defending them? This school really has corrupted you, Sister."

"The faunus and the White Fang are not the same thing!" Weiss said. "If you'd seen half the things I've seen since I've come here, you'd agree with me."

"Doubtful," Whitley said. "At least the Company still knows how to deal with the faunus. It will be most amusing seeing you try to argue your point to the Board of Directors when you take Father's place. If you do, that is. I think Father is having doubts as to your fitness in that regard."

Weiss almost wanted to laugh. Whitley's taught might have been effective if she hadn't already decided to step down. She said, "I'm sure you think you're better suited to be Father's heir."

"Unlike you, I keep the best interests of our family in mind," Whitley said. "If Father wishes to entrust me with such a burden, I will do my duty as a Schnee."

Suddenly, a horrible thought occurred to Weiss. Whitley was the next in line to take control of the Company if she gave up her status as heiress. Unless his attitude changed drastically, that would spell disaster for the faunus slaving away in the Company's mines! Weiss couldn't believe that she hadn't considered that.

"Are you alright, Sister?" Whitley asked. "You look pale."

"I…I've got to go," Weiss said. She hurried away from Whitley.

Weiss walked at a brisk pace to nowhere in particular. She'd thought she'd had her future figured out, but now all the uncertainty came rushing back stronger than ever. She couldn't give up Yang, but she also couldn't let Whitley take control of the Schnee Dust Company. It was an impossible choice.

Suddenly, Weiss's scroll buzzed, making her jump in surprise. She pulled it out of her pocket and opened it up.

 _Yang Xiao Long:  
Heard from blake ur dad is here! Where r u!_

Weiss typed in a reply as fast as her fingers would allow.

 _Me:  
I need to talk to you. Meet me in the dorm. Now._

Weiss didn't bother waiting for Yang to reply. She shoved her scroll back into her pocket and took off in a sprint toward the dormitories.

* * *

Weiss burst through the door to Team RWBY's room. Yang was already there, waiting for her inside. Weiss ran straight for Yang and threw herself into Yang's arms.

"Weiss!" Yang said as she hugged her. "Are you okay?"

"No," Weiss said.

"Was it your dad? Did he do something?" Yang asked.

"No, it wasn't him," Weiss said. "It was Whitley."

"Whitley? He's your brother, right? Yang asked.

"Yes. He's here at Beacon too," Weiss said.

"Do you need me to punch him?" Yang asked.

"No, Yang. I…" Weiss pulled away from Yang.

"What is it?" Yang asked.

Weiss took a deep breath. She said, "I made a decision yesterday. I was going to tell Father that I'm stepping down as the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company."

"What!?" Yang exclaimed. "You can't do that!"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I can," Weiss said.

"But you promised me!" Yang said.

"I promised you not to give up on my dream," Weiss said. "My dream was never to run a company that exploits children."

"Weiss you… you can't…" Yang said. Then she blurted out, "You can't ruin your future because of me!"

"I'm not ruining anything!" Weiss said. "My future changed the moment I fell in love with you!"

"Weiss…" Yang said.

"Yang, I love you," Weiss repeated.

"I know that, and I love you too," Yang said. "But—"

Weiss didn't want to hear any more of Yang's arguments. She grabbed Yang and kissed her, but Yang didn't kiss her back.

Weiss pulled back. Yang didn't say anything more, but Weiss could see the worry on her face. It was clear to Weiss that Yang wasn't going to let this drop so easily.

"Yang," Weiss said firmly. "My future has always been my choice. Not my family's, not my father's, and not yours."

Yang sighed. Her expression softened slightly. "Okay. I can respect that," she said. "But why didn't you tell me?"

"I was going to," Weiss said. "But then I couldn't get in contact with Father, and I didn't want to worry you needlessly."

"Weiss…" Yang said.

"I know," Weiss said. "Keeping secrets seems to be a bad habit of mine. Are you mad at me?"

"Yeah, I am," Yang said. "But I'll get over it, and we have more important things to worry about. Now what does your brother have to do with all this?"

"He'll inherit the Company if I step down," Weiss said.

"Yeah, and?" Yang asked.

"He's just as prejudice against the faunus as my father is, if not more so," Weiss said. "I don't know how much of a positive impact I'd be able to have, but he'd make things so much worse than they are. I can't in good conscious let him gain power, but I can't live without you either."

"But you haven't actually told your dad that you're stepping down yet?" Yang asked.

"No," Weiss said.

"Then don't," Yang said. "And before you tell me how he's going to find out about us and kick you out, I know. But he hasn't found out yet."

"I suppose there's no reason to give up my status as heiress just yet," Weiss said.

"Exactly," Yang said. "I mean, there's got to be a way to get what you want without letting your brother mess everything up."

"I don't see how," Weiss said.

"Me neither," Yang said. "But that's why we're on a team! Four heads are better than two."

"You're right!" Weiss said. She hadn't even thought about going to Ruby or Blake with her troubles. It seemed so obvious in hindsight.

"Are you going to be okay talking to them about this?" Yang asked.

"Absolutely," Weiss said. "I think I've learned my lesson about keeping secrets from my friends."

Yang grinned. She pulled out her scroll. "I'll call Blake. You call Ruby."

"Right," Weiss said.

"Hey, Weiss? We're going to figure this out," Yang said.

Weiss smiled. Maybe it was just foolish optimism, but she actually believed that.

* * *

 _Author's Note:_ _I have to admit that I don't really like Ozpin in the actual show, but I wanted to use him in this story. So I gave myself a challenge: write Ozpin as a character I like without betraying how he's characterized in canon. We'll see how I do._

 _As always, I welcome constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave a review. And if you like what you've read, taking the time to favorite and/or follow really helps me out. You can also find me on tumblr (electronicyarn) if you want to send me a message or be notified of updates._


	25. A Chat with Father

**Chapter 25: A Chat with Father**

All four members of Team RWBY were assembled in their dorm room. Weiss had explained the situation regarding her brother to everyone, and all four of them were lost in silent contemplation. Weiss in particular was thinking hard. For as long as she could remember, she'd wanted so badly to emulate Grandfather. That had never changed, even though she'd been ready to give up her future claim to Grandfather's company. It seemed like a contradiction, but it didn't feel like one to Weiss. Maybe, just maybe, what she really wanted in life didn't have anything to do with the Schnee Dust Company after all.

Blake spoke up. "I'm sorry, Weiss. If your father is as adamantly homophobic as you say, I don't see a way for you to convince him to give you control of the Company someday. Not while you're with Yang."

"That's not the issue so much," Weiss said. "I think…no, I know I can live without being in charge of the Company. But I can't let Whitley have control."

"Weiss…" Yang said.

"I know what you're going to say, Yang. But it wasn't the Schnee Dust Company that made Grandfather great," Weiss said. "In fact, it was the other way around. I can still follow his example without the Company, especially as a huntress."

"That's a good point," Yang said. "But is it really what you want?"

"You mean do I want to fight the good fight with my girlfriend by my side?" Weiss asked. "I don't think that sounds so bad. Do you?"

Yang smiled. "Smooth talker," she said.

"If I am it's because I learned from the best," Weiss said.

Blake loudly cleared her throat. "If you two are done flirting," she said.

Yang said, "I don't think we'll ever be done flirting."

"I suspected as much," Blake said. "But getting back on track. Is it your brother specifically that's the problem, Weiss? Someday somebody will take your Father's place at the Schnee Dust Company, and I know for a fact that your brother isn't the only person out there with unfortunate views on the faunus."

Weiss sighed. "That's true."

Ruby chimed in, "Then why don't we just tell everyone what's going on?"

"What do you mean?" Weiss asked.

"Well I know I've never heard about what's happening in those mines," Ruby said. "And if you didn't know, Weiss, I'll bet almost no one does. If people knew, they'd get really mad. Mad enough to stop buying stuff from the Schnee Dust Company, I'd bet."

Yang said, "It would be hard to make whipping children sound good on the news."

Weiss said, "That's not a bad idea, but I'm not sure there would be the kind of outrage we'd need for it to work."

"No. I think Ruby is on to something," Blake said. "One of the Company's greatest assets is its public image. People like Flynt and Neon might hate the Company, but they're in the minority. The general public can overlook a lot when it comes to the treatment of the faunus. But what happens in those mines goes too far."

Weiss asked, "But if it were as simple as informing the public, why didn't the White Fang try that?"

"We did," Blake said. "No one believed us. They thought we were making up stories to garner sympathy. We couldn't convince anyone. But you could."

"Me?" Weiss asked.

"You have something we never had. Legitimacy," Blake said. "It would be hard to ignore Weiss Schnee making such claims about her family's company. Especially if we can dig up some hard evidence."

"I don't know," Weiss said.

Yang said, "It makes sense to me. It won't matter if Whitley, or whoever, is in charge. If the public's against them, they won't be able to get away with abusing their workers."

"Yeah," Ruby said. "Maybe you could even get Winter to help spread the word, Weiss."

Weiss said, "None of you understand. If I did that, whether it worked or not, my whole family would hate me! Not just Father, everyone! And…" Weiss trailed off. She had been about to say that Father would never give her back her trust fund. But she was too ashamed to admit that it was a factor in her thinking, especially with Blake in the room.

Yang said, "Well what if we're sneaky about it?"

Blake asked, "Sneaky how?"

"There's got to be another way to get the word out without Weiss having to spill the beans," Yang said.

"I'm not so sure about that," Blake said.

Ruby said, "It couldn't hurt to try. I don't think so anyway. What do you think, Weiss?"

Weiss looked at each of her teammates in turn. She said, "Alright. Let's see what we can do."

"Yeah!" Yang cheered. "The Schnee Dust Company is going down!"

Weiss said, "I don't want to take down my family's company, Yang. I want to fix it."

"Oh. Uh…" Yang said. "Your dad and brother are going down?"

"That's…better," Weiss said. She didn't really want to bring down Father or even Whitley either, but deep down she knew there would be a certain amount of unhealthy satisfaction in seeing them fall.

Ruby said, "Alright team! Let's—"

Suddenly, Weiss's scroll rang, cutting Ruby off. Everyone fell silent, and all eyes turned to Weiss.

Weiss took a deep breath to steady herself. She pulled out her scroll. She didn't need to look at the screen to know who was calling her. She hit the button to answer and said, "Yes, Father?"

"Your headmaster has furnished me with an office on the third floor of Beacon Tower," Jacques said on the other end of the line. "I expect you to be here in fifteen minutes."

"Yes, Father," Weiss said.

Jacques didn't bother saying goodbye. He just hung up.

Weiss lowered her scroll. "I have to go," she said to her teammates.

Yang asked, "You want me to go with you?"

"That's not necessary," Weiss said.

"Are you sure?" Yang asked.

"Yes," Weiss reassured Yang. "I'll be fine."

Weiss turned to leave, but Blake said, "Wait a minute, Weiss."

Weiss looked back at Blake.

"Thank you," Blake said. "For trying to make things right."

Weiss smiled wanly. She said, "I'm sorry I can't do more. I should just tell the public about what's happening, but—"

"No," Blake said. "I could never ask you to sacrifice your relationship with your whole family. You're trying to help, and that's more than enough. You don't know how much it means to me."

"Oooh!" Yang cooed. "Group hug!"

Yang pounced on Weiss and Blake and threw an arm around each of them. Weiss found herself being simultaneously mashed into Blake and pulled close to Yang. Blake's eyes were wide, and there was an uncomfortable look on her face. Weiss could sympathize. Not so long ago, this would have been her worst nightmare.

"Come on, Rubes!" Yang said.

"Aw yeah!" Ruby cheered. She zoomed over to her teammates and hugged all three of them. Blake tried to wriggle her way free, but Yang and Ruby were having none of that.

"Thank you, everyone," Weiss said. "But I can't keep Father waiting."

Yang and Ruby finally let go. Blake quickly made sure she was safely out of hugging range. Then she said, "I have some old contacts that might be able to help us. I can't promise anything will come of it, but I'll try to get in touch with them."

Ruby said, "Me and Yang can go down to the library and see if we can find any useful info."

Yang asked, "Should we all meet back here later?"

Weiss said, "That sounds like a plan to me."

"Alright!" Ruby said, "Team RWBY! Move out!"

* * *

For the second time that day, Weiss found herself riding up the elevator in Beacon's central tower. This time, however, she was feeling much calmer. She knew that Father's mood had likely not improved since earlier, and that this time she would be receiving his full attention, but with her team behind her, she wasn't afraid of him.

The elevator stopped on the third floor, and the doors opened. Weiss had never been on this level of the tower before, but there was hardly anything remarkable about it. The tower was used almost exclusively by the school's administration, and as such, it was mostly filled with office space.

It wasn't hard for Weiss to find the room Father was using. It had to be the one with the two Schnee Dust Company security personnel standing in front of it.

Jacques never left the safety of his home or the Schnee Dust Company headquarters without armed guards. The pair he'd brought with him to Beacon were equipped with the civilian versions of the very same armor and rifles that the Atlesian military used. Jacques's security measures might have seemed like overkill, but it was hard to dismiss him as paranoid when a large, dangerous, and organized group like the White Fang was literally out for his head.

One of the guards nodded at Weiss in recognition as she walked up. He said, "I'm to send you in immediately, ma'am."

"Thank you," Weiss said.

The guard opened the door for Weiss, and she walked into the office. Inside, Jacques was sitting at a desk. He was busy perusing a stack of paperwork in front of him. With all the emotional turmoil that Jacques's arrival had caused, Weiss realized that she hadn't stopped to think about the reason he had come to Beacon. Ozpin had said it was because of an "incident", but Weiss had no idea what that could mean. It couldn't have been the grimm; all of Remnant would have heard about anything they could've done that would warrant upgrading Beacon's security. It wasn't likely to be the White Fang either. The grimm were a threat to humans and faunus alike, and even the White Fang understood that huntsmen and huntresses were the best defense against them.

Weiss wondered if some other group had perpetrated whatever event Ozpin was referring to. It was unsettling to think that there might be another organization out there, operating in the shadows with mal intent.

Jacques set the paper he was reading down and looked silently at Weiss like he was sizing her up. It was hard for Weiss to meet Father's gaze. It wasn't so much because he intimidated her anymore, but because all she could see in him now was the man who had allowed Blake to be whipped as a child. Weiss dimly recalled a time when Father had been loving and caring. Had that been real, or was it just a trick her young mind had played on her? How could the man she remembered be the same one that she was standing before now?

Jacques finally said, "My errant daughter. It's good to see that you haven't completely forgotten how to come when you're called."

"What is it you wanted to discuss, Father?" Weiss asked.

"Don't be smart with me, girl," Jacques said. "You know very well what this is about! I don't care if you're away at a foreign school. You will speak with me when it's required of you!"

"Yes, Father. I apologize," Weiss said.

"That's it?" Jacques asked. "No defiance? No excuses?"

"I'm a Schnee," Weiss said. "We take responsibility for the things we've done. Right… _Father_?"

Jacques apparently didn't hear the accusation in Weiss's tone. "Hmph. If only Winter had been so reasonable when she was your age," he said. "But how do I know you're not just humoring me so I'll give you back your trust fund?"

"I've made many mistakes since I came here, but I've learned my lesson," Weiss said. It was true, although not in the way Father most likely thought.

"So you claim," Jacques said. "I expect next you'll tell me that you've been wearing your hair like that this whole semester."

Weiss was confused for a moment. With everything that had happened, she'd completely forgotten that her side tail was a minor act of rebellion. "Yes, Father," Weiss said. She prepared herself for what was coming next.

"Well. I suppose it's hardly the most shocking thing I've seen at this school," Jacques said.

Weiss was floored. Had Father actually backed down? She could scarcely believe it.

Weiss's befuddlement only deepened when Jacques's expression seemed to soften. He asked, "How are your studies going?"

"They're going very well," Weiss said. "I'm one of the top students in my class year."

"Of course you are. You're my daughter," Jacques said. "Have you made any friends?"

Weiss just barely kept her jaw from hitting the floor. "Yes," she said. "I've made several friends."

"Good," Jacques said. "This is the proper time of your life to be doing so."

Weiss didn't know what to think. For just a brief moment, she saw in Father the man he was before the White Fang, not the monster he'd become. She wondered if she'd been going about this all wrong. Could Father be made to see reason over the Company's treatment of the faunus? Weiss felt like she had to try. Despite all the things Jacques had done, he was still her father.

"Father," Weiss said. "There's something we need to discuss."

"Oh? What is it?" Jacques asked.

Weiss hesitated. Would Father confess his crimes if she confronted him? Would he even see them as such? Weiss opened her mouth to speak, but she was interrupted by a ringing sound. It wasn't her scroll, however; it was Jacques's.

Jacques picked up his scroll from where it had been lying on the desk. He glanced at the screen and said, "We'll have to continue this conversation later."

Before Weiss could protest, Jacques had already answered his scroll.

Weiss just stood there a moment. It seemed like every time she took one step forward as of late, she immediately took two steps back. She was more confused now than ever. She felt like she didn't know who Father was any more or what precisely it was that she wanted from him. Was he a monster that she was plotting against? Or was he her father who she should seek to redeem?

Weiss turned from Jacques, and walked out of the room.

* * *

Weiss was still lost in thought by the time she made it back to the dormitories. She wondered if her teammates would have any insight on what to do about Father. She'd appreciate their advice, but she knew that ultimately it would have to be her decision. None of them knew Father like she did, and she'd be the one to live with the consequences of her actions.

Weiss found her way to Team RWBY's room. Her meeting with Father had been unexpectedly brief, so she doubted that anyone else had made it back yet. That was just as well. It would give her time to think.

Weiss opened the door and let herself inside. The second she stepped into the room, however, a voice said, "Hello again, Sister."

Weiss's blood ran cold. Over sitting on her bed was Whitley, and in his hand was one of Yang's letters.

"This is fascinating reading material," Whitley said. "Although the grammar and punctuation do leave something to be desired."

Weiss rushed over to Whitley and snatched the letter out of his hand. "How did you get in here!?" she demanded.

"The door wasn't locked," Whitley said calmly. "And your numerous acquaintances around campus were all too happy to direct your beloved brother to your domicile."

"How did you find this letter!?" Weiss asked.

"You've been hiding things under your mattress for as long as I can remember," Whitley said. "You really must find a less obvious spot."

Weiss's mind was racing, trying to figure out how to explain away Yang's letter, but she couldn't think of anything. Almost all of Yang's letters were outright declarations of love, and even if by chance Whitley had read one that wasn't, their sheer number alone was suspicious.

Whitley stood and started strolling around the room. He said, "This does explain a few things. That poor suitor-boy Father selected for you. No wonder nothing came of it. I imagine Father would find this information most enlightening."

Weiss said, "If you so much as breathe a word of this to Father, I'll…!"

"You'll do what exactly?" Whitley asked. "Run me through with your sword? Burn me alive with Dust? Is that what this school has taught you? To solve your problems with violence?"

Weiss gritted her teeth. "What do you want?"

"Hmm. That is a good question," Whitley said. "What is this worth, I wonder. I haven't decided yet."

"Then you should leave. Now," Weiss said. "And never set foot in this room again."

"Very well," Whitley said. He walked over to the door and opened it. Before he stepped through, he added, "I did warn you, Sister. To be careful of what secrets you keep."

Whitley left before Weiss could retort.

Weiss took several deep breaths and let them out slowly in an effort to calm herself. This wasn't the worst thing that could have happened, but it was close to it. Most concerning was the fact that Whitley could have found Yang's letters and left with Weiss being none the wiser. He wanted her to know that he knew. If Weiss had some clue as to what Whitley's plan was, she might have felt slightly better. Tormenting her would certainly be one of his goals, but he would want more than that.

Weiss walked over to her bed and lifted the mattress. Yang's letters were there like always. She knew she should have done the smart thing and disposed of them, but even now she wouldn't. They were Yang's gift to her, and she wouldn't let Whitley or Father dictate what she did with them. She wouldn't destroy something beautiful simply because Father couldn't abide what it represented.

Weiss set the letter in her hand down with the rest and let the mattress drop back into place.

* * *

 _Author's Note:_ _I guess I should clarify that the "incident" Ozpin referred to in the last chapter was in fact Cinder and her crew trying to enact her (Salem's?) evil plan. Looks like Ironwood actually did his job in this alternate universe, and Cinder got caught._

 _As always, I welcome constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave a review. And if you like what you've read, taking the time to favorite and/or follow really helps me out. You can also find me on tumblr (electronicyarn) if you want to send me a message or be notified of updates._


	26. Lessons

_Author's Note:_ _If you've been following this story via email alerts, the last two chapter update emails didn't go out properly. You may want to click the previous chapter button a few times so you don't spoil anything for yourself._

* * *

 **Chapter 26: Lessons**

The end of the school week found Weiss alone and staring out the window in Team RWBY's dorm room. She'd had many hard weeks at Beacon, but this one had felt like the longest yet. Between making extra sure that she and Yang didn't display any affection in public and constantly fretting over when Father would call again, Weiss was exhausted.

Despite Weiss's fears, Father had yet to contact her again. Weiss wasn't all that surprised. When Father was working on a new business deal, all other concerns were secondary to him. Weiss wouldn't have minded, but his neglect was keeping her cut off from her trust fund. Knowing Father, however, that was no coincidence. He was intentionally making her sweat, and to Weiss's great shame, it was working.

A few days ago Weiss had scraped together every last bit of cash she'd happened to have on hand. It might have been a lot by some people's standards, but to her, it barely counted as pocket change. She'd immediately begun to scrimp and save in order to make it last.

Weiss had thought that she'd been adapting well to her life of temporary frugality, but she'd been wrong. The first big blow had come yesterday when the Vale Art Museum had invited her to another event. She'd wanted so badly to take Yang to it, but she couldn't. She didn't have the money to spare for the expected donation, and more importantly, she didn't have anything to wear. All of Weiss's formal and semi-formal outfits were ones that she'd already worn in public before, and one did not show up to an event with the social elite in an old dress.

As bad as things had been, Weiss knew that they were going to get worse. She may not have had to pay for school thanks to her scholarship, but she didn't have any source of income besides her trust fund. No matter how frugal she was, what little money she had left would eventually dwindle away to nothing. She wouldn't even be able to buy basic things like toiletries or meals off campus.

The thought of having to eat three meals a day, every day at Beacon's cafeteria was almost enough to send Weiss running to beg Father for his forgiveness. She prayed he would relent soon.

Weiss pulled out her scroll and looked at it. She supposed she could always take the initiative and reach out to Father herself. That was probably what he wanted in the first place, but Weiss wasn't desperate enough to give in just yet. She still had her pride, for the time being anyway.

Weiss slipped her scroll back into her pocket. At least she wasn't so worried about Whitley anymore. Even if he went to Father, Weiss could simply dismiss any accusations he made as lies, and outrageous ones at that. Father would never believe that his own daughter was gay without hard evidence. Whitley must have known that as well, which was probably why he hadn't made any demands of Weiss.

Weiss had taken steps to protect herself just in case Whitley came looking for the evidence he would need. Yang was under strict orders not to write any more letters for now, and Weiss had gathered up all the ones she'd already had and had given them to Blake. Blake had been told to hide the letters and tell no one where they were, not even Weiss.

One positive thing had come from all of this. It had been touching for Weiss to see all of Yang's letters in one big stack. She'd lost count a while ago of how many Yang had written. Their number was a real, tangible demonstration of Yang's love, and Weiss treasured such things now more than ever.

Suddenly, Weiss heard the door behind her open. She turned away from the window and saw Yang walk in. Weiss smiled a little. Just seeing Yang always lifted her spirits.

Unlike Weiss, Yang was still wearing her school uniform. She and Ruby had gone straight to the library again today after class to see if they could dig up anything on the Schnee Dust Company's treatment of the faunus.

"Any luck?" Weiss asked.

"No," Yang said glumly. "What about Blake's contact?"

"No news there either," Weiss said. "She still only been able to get in touch with the one, and she hasn't heard back from him since. She said she was going to try to call him again today."

"Well, maybe something will come of that," Yang said.

"Where's Ruby?" Weiss asked.

"She stayed behind at the library to keep looking," Yang said. "But I don't think she's going to find anything. No wonder no one believed the White Fang about the slave labor. I'm starting to doubt it's true!"

"Blake wouldn't lie to us," Weiss said.

"I know," Yang said. "But you would think something would have leaked out over the years."

"I appreciate you looking," Weiss said. "I know research isn't exactly your favorite thing."

"For you, it's worth it," Yang said. "But yeah, I'm done looking at old news reports for today."

Yang sat down on Weiss's bed and pulled off her shoes. She tossed them in the general direction of her bed and then started rolling down her stockings. "I'm so ready to get out of this uniform," she said.

"That's a shame," Weiss said. "You look good in it."

"I look good in anything," Yang said with a wink. "But I bet I'd look even better out of it."

Weiss knew that Yang was trying to make her blush; she was starting to catch on to Yang's games. With everything that was happening, this hardly seemed like the time, but then again, Weiss felt like she could really use some stress relief.

Weiss glanced over at the writing desk where _My Daisy_ was sitting unobtrusively in the middle of a stack of her textbooks. A smile spread across her lips. "Maybe we should find out," she said.

Yang grinned. She got up off the bed and teasingly said, "I don't know. I think you'll have to convince me."

"I'd put on some tight pants if I had any," Weiss said. "I imagine that would convince you."

"You got that right," Yang said. "You know what. I think you and I need to go on another shopping trip. We could buy some 'fun' outfits for each other, if you know what I mean."

Weiss's smile faded. "That sounds…lovely," she said. "But…."

"But what?" Yang asked. A moment later, realization dawned on her face. "Oh! Oh yeah. Your dad is still being a tightwad."

Weiss sighed. "Yes," she said.

"I just killed the mood, didn't I," Yang said.

Weiss didn't say anything.

"Weiss, I'm sorry," Yang said.

"No, it's not you," Weiss said.

"I bet if we went to a bargain store, I could pay for everything," Yang suggested.

"No, Yang. It's not…" Weiss trailed off. "I shouldn't let this affect me so much. But what if Father never gives me back access to my money?"

"It'll be alright if he doesn't," Yang said.

"No, Yang. It won't be," Weiss said. She loved Yang's positive outlook on life, but now wasn't the time for blind optimism.

"It's just a temporary problem either way," Yang said. "Huntsmen and huntresses get paid pretty well. How much money do you need anyway?"

Weiss frowned. She wasn't sure if she was being overly sensitive or if Yang was being her usual tactless self, but Yang's comment did not sit well with her. She said, "They're not paid that well if your family is anything to go by."

"Excuse me?" Yang said. She did not look amused.

Weiss realized she may have gone too far. "I'm sorry," she said halfheartedly. "I didn't mean—"

"Yeah, you did," Yang said, crossing her arms. "My dad had to raise two kids on his own. It doesn't leave a lot of time to go hunting grimm bounties. But we're doing just fine. Because we all work together and appreciate what we have."

"I wasn't trying to belittle you or Ruby or your father," Weiss said.

"I know," Yang said. "But the money you spent on that jacket you're wearing could've put food on our table for, like, a year. For all I know, it's more money than Blake's ever seen in her whole life."

"I'm sorry, Yang," Weiss said, earnestly this time. "You're right. I haven't had to worry about money before. But that's just it. My family's money has always been there for me. I don't know how to live any other way. I'm…scared."

Yang suddenly looked less angry. She uncrossed her arms and scratched the back of her head. "I'm…sorry," she said.

"You're sorry? For what?" Weiss asked.

"This is all my fault," Yang said. "You're only in this situation because—"

"Stop," Weiss said. "First of all, I'm in this situation because I ignored my father's calls for months. Second, and I repeat, this has always been my choice, not yours. Third, not dating you wasn't going to make me any less gay."

Yang was silent for a moment. Then she chuckled softly. "You are pretty gay," she said. "You're even gayer than me, and that's saying something."

Weiss's mouth turned up into a smile as she tried not to laugh. At the beginning of this semester she would have punched Yang for saying such things. Weiss said, "I think it would have been far worse for me to have found out I was gay after I graduated. So thank you. I just wish I knew how to deal with my father."

"Weiss, we're all here to help you," Yang said. "Your dad's going to give you your money back. But even if he doesn't, we'll get you through this."

"Thank you," Weiss said. "I…I love you."

Yang smiled. She tapped the side of her cheek twice. Weiss felt her heart flutter.

"So…" Yang said. "I guess we just had an argument."

"Yes, I suppose we did," Weiss said. "It wouldn't exactly be our first."

"Are we cool now?"

"I believe we are."

"That's a pity."

"Why is that?"

"Because hate-sex can be awesome!"

"You think we're still going to have sex?"

"Aren't we though?"

Weiss made a show of running her eyes over Yang's body. She said, "I think I'll need to be convinced."

"Oh, I can do that," Yang said. She stepped in close, threw her arms around Weiss, and planted a kiss on Weiss's lips. Weiss could feel Yang's warmth surround her, and for one beautiful moment, the rest of the world vanished.

By the time Yang pulled back, Weiss was gasping for breath.

"Convinced yet?" Yang asked.

"You make a compelling argument," Weiss said.

"How about we keep arguing about it over on your bed?" Yang asked.

"Agreed," Weiss said.

On a whim, Weiss tilted Yang back and scooped her up into her arms. She hadn't quite realized how heavy Yang was, but she managed to not look like she was straining herself.

Yang laughed in delight as Weiss carried her over to her bed. Weiss did her best to make it look effortless. Yang was definitely heavier than she looked. Maybe it was all the lean muscle packed onto her frame. Fortunately, Weiss was able to get to the bed and gently set Yang down.

"Oh no! I've been kidnapped by a dastardly villain!" Yang said, pretending to swoon. "She's going to have her wicked way with me!"

Weiss reached out and took a hold of the ribbon around Yang's neck. She slowly untied it, but as soon as it was in her hand, she stepped away from the bed.

"Uh…was that it?" Yang asked. "Aren't you going to have your wicked way with me?"

"In a moment," Weiss said. "I just need this for the doorknob. We don't want your sister or Blake walking in on us."

"Good point," Yang said.

Weiss opened the door just wide enough to slip halfway out into the hall. She quickly tied the ribbon on the doorknob without bothering to check and see if anyone was looking. Then she ducked back into the room and shut the door behind her.

The moment Weiss turned around, she did a double take. Yang was still sitting on the bed, but she'd somehow managed to strip down to her underwear already. She was tossing the last piece of her school uniform to the floor.

"How did you do that so quickly?" Weiss asked.

"Please. I'm an expert," Yang said. "Don't worry, Weissy. I left some of it for you."

"I can see that," Weiss said.

Weiss walked over to the writing desk. Her eyes fell on a slip of paper poking out from the pages of _My Daisy_. On it was the notes she'd taken, which she'd managed to condense down to a single page. She needed to retrieve them, but she wanted to be discreet about it. Fortunately, she knew a good way to distract Yang.

Weiss took off her jacket and set it across the back of the desk chair. Then she reached for her boots.

"No, wait," Yang said. "Leave the boots on."

"Really?" Weiss asked.

"Yeah. I like them," Yang said. "Plus they do amazing things to your calves."

"Alright," Weiss said. She didn't really understand, but it was a simple enough request. She reached up for the straps of her dress and slipped them off.

Weiss's dress fell to the floor. She took the time to gather it up and draped it neatly over the back of the chair. She heard Yang snickering behind her back, but she didn't care. Even given the situation, there was no reason not to be tidy, especially when it would prevent her dress from getting wrinkled.

Weiss pulled off her tiara and let her hair cascade over her shoulders. Then she set her tiara down on the desk. At the same time, she pulled out her page of notes from _My Daisy_ and held it secretively in her hand. She turned around and faced Yang, wearing nothing more than her boots and underwear.

Over on the bed, Yang was practically drooling. "Oooh, that is hot!" she said.

Weiss smiled. She walked toward Yang, trying her best to make her hips sway in that sauntering way Yang often did. She must have been doing something right, because Yang's grin got bigger the closer she got.

Weiss quickly set her notes on the corner of the bookshelf that was next to her bed. She took a moment to stand by the side of the bed and just look at Yang.

Yang reclined back on the pillow and then patted her leg. Weiss got the message. She sat herself down in Yang's lap. It felt really weird getting into bed with boots on, but she supposed that wasn't necessarily the most important thing to focus on at the moment. Yang smiled at Weiss and beckoned her closer. Weiss leaned forward, and their lips met. The kiss started slowly at first, but it quickly became heated. Weiss felt a hunger take hold of her. Now that she knew what incredible things Yang could make her feel, she wanted Yang more than ever.

Yang reached up with one hand and started sliding Weiss's bra strap down her shoulder. Weiss pulled back and took Yang's hand in her own. "Not yet," she said. "I want to go first."

"You do?" Yang asked, surprised.

"Yes," Weiss said. "You're not leaving this bed until I'm convinced you've been satisfied."

"Whoa. Someone's feeling frisky," Yang said with a laugh. "I like it. Let's see what you got, Weissy."

Weiss was excited, but her nervousness was growing. She wanted so badly to get this right. Fortunately, she had a cheat sheet this time. She reached over to the bookshelf and adjusted her notes so she could read them better.

"Okay, what is that?" Yang asked. Before Weiss could object, Yang grabbed the sheet of paper off the shelf.

"Yang! I, uh…" Weiss said.

"Are these…notes on sex?" Yang asked.

Weiss blushed a deep red. "I've been…studying the proper technique," she mumbled.

Yang started laughing uncontrollably.

"I…I wanted to make sure I knew what I was doing!" Weiss offered in her defense.

"That is so you!" Yang said, still laughing.

"Can I have my notes back?" Weiss asked.

"Nope!" Yang said with an impish smile on her face. She slipped the paper into the narrow gap between the head of the bed and the wall where Weiss couldn't easily retrieve it.

"Yang!" Weiss said, dismayed.

"Relax. You don't need notes," Yang said. "Not when you've got a teacher right here."

Weiss blinked. "I should have thought of that," she said.

Yang took Weiss's hand in her own. She grinned at her and said, "Lesson one."

* * *

An hour or two later, Weiss was sitting in the desk chair. She was fully clothed again, and she'd taken the time to get cleaned up in the powder room. Yang was standing behind her, brushing her hair. Weiss felt that Yang had already done more than enough for one day, but Yang had insisted.

The one thing that never ceased to amaze Weiss about Yang was her attentiveness. Sometimes Weiss just couldn't understand how Yang could be so selfless. She wasn't sure that she deserved someone like Yang. She dearly hoped that she was as good for Yang as Yang was for her.

Weiss sighed happily. She was still basking in the afterglow of making love, and Yang gently running the brush through her hair was hypnotically soothing. This might have been the single greatest moment of her life. It was impossible for her to worry about her father or brother or even her trust fund right now.

Yang set the hairbrush down on the desk and picked up Weiss's tiara. She gathered up Weiss's hair into a side tail and put the tiara into place. As if Yang hadn't done enough already, she started massaging Weiss's neck and shoulders. Weiss wanted to object, but the only sound that came out of her was a hum of joy.

Suddenly, Weiss's scroll buzzed. She groaned in exasperation.

"Just ignore it," Yang said.

"I can't," Weiss said. She pulled out her scroll. A message was waiting on it for her.

 _Father:  
My office. Now._

Weiss sighed. She slipped her scroll back into her pocket and stood. "I should go see what he wants," she said.

"I'm coming with you this time," Yang said.

"You don't have to do that," Weiss said.

"Oh yeah? Try and stop me," Yang said.

"Alright," Weiss acquiesced. "But you won't be allowed inside his office with me."

"That's okay," Yang said. "I just want to be there for you."

"You always have been," Weiss said. "Let's go."

* * *

It was a short walk from the dormitories to Beacon's tower, and it wasn't long before Weiss and Yang were riding up the elevator to the third floor. The doors opened, and they both walked out into the hallway.

As soon as they were in sight of Jacques's office, Yang said, "Guards? Really?"

"I did say you wouldn't be allowed in," Weiss reminded Yang.

"Eh. I could take them," Yang said.

"Yang…" Weiss said.

"I know. I'll be good," Yang said.

"You're not even wearing your gauntlets," Weiss said.

Yang laughed. "Like I'd need them."

Weiss and Yang walked up to the office. One of the guards eyed Yang. He said, "I'm sorry, Miss. You'll—"

"Yeah, yeah. I know," Yang said. She leaned against the opposite wall. "I'll be waiting right out here, Weiss."

Weiss smiled at Yang. Then she opened the door and walked in.

Inside the office, Jacques was sitting at his desk. His chair was turned to face the window, and his back was to Weiss.

Weiss walked up to the desk. "Father," she said. "What did you need from me?"

Jacques slowly spun around. There was a piece of paper in his hand. He set it on the desk and slid it toward Weiss.

Weiss's breath caught in her throat, and her face turned pale. On the desk in front of her was one of Yang's letters.

Jacques said, "You and I need to have a very important discussion."

* * *

 _Author's Note:_ _According to Volume 4, Yang is wrong, and Blake has seen quite a lot of money before. But hey, Yang doesn't know that. I'm starting to think that Blake being Menagerian royalty, as it were, is a bit incongruous with her portrayal from Volumes 1 through 3. Judging by some of the comments I've seen, I'm not the only one with that feeling. I'm not going to pass judgment just yet, however. I'll wait and see what Volume 5 (or Volume 4 Part 2 as I'm going to call it) has in store first._

 _Rejected titles for this chapter include_ Sex and Money _, or alternatively,_ Hot for Teacher _. While they're technically accurate, they're also wildly inappropriate._

 _As always, I welcome constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave a review. And if you like what you've read, taking the time to favorite and/or follow really helps me out. You can also find me on tumblr (electronicyarn) if you want to send me a message or be notified of updates._


	27. Melted Wings

**Chapter 27: Melted Wings**

Weiss and Jacques stared each other down in silence. Both of them were waiting for the other to make the first move. Weiss found that she was surprisingly calm, now that she'd gotten over her initial panic. Her secret was out, and there was nothing more she could do about it. She was finally free from the burden of having to hide the truth from Father. It felt liberating to say the least.

It was Jacques who finally spoke first. "Well?!" he demanded. "Don't you have anything to say?"

"What do you expect me to say, Father?" Weiss asked.

"Something. Anything! An excuse! An explanation!" Jacques said.

"There's nothing to explain," Weiss said.

"Then what is this letter?" Jacques asked. "Help me to understand."

"It's quite simple, Father," Weiss said. "I'm gay. And I have a girlfriend. Her name is Yang."

"Don't you dare speak that way!" Jacques bellowed. "You are not a homosexual! I raised you better than that!"

"It doesn't have anything to do with how I was raised," Weiss said. "It's just the way I am."

"Don't be ridiculous," Jacques said. "It's this school. It's put strange ideas into your head. As soon as I'm done here, you're coming back with me to Atlas. If you still insist on training as a huntress you can do so at Atlas Academy, but not here."

Jacques's tone of voice told Weiss that he considered the matter final. There would be no changing his mind. Strangely, however, Weiss wasn't concerned in the least. She looked defiantly at Jacques and said, "No."

Jacques's eyes narrowed. "What did you just say to me?" he asked in a dangerous tone.

"I said no," Weiss repeated. "You can't make those decisions for me anymore."

"As a matter of fact, I can," Jacques said.

"No, Father, you can't," Weiss said. "I'm an adult now."

"You may think that," Jacques said. "But this letter proves otherwise. You still have a long way to go before you're anything more than a child. You're not yet fit to make decisions about your future."

"I'm sure Professor Ozpin would disagree," Weiss said. "He believes in all his students. And pulling one of his brightest out of his school might jeopardize your big business deal with him."

Jacques scowled. Weiss could hear his teeth grinding together. He stood, and when he spoke again it was with a cold fury. "Enough of this. We are going to find this Yang, and you are going to tell her that your farce of a relationship is over. Then we are going to go back to Atlas and get you the help you need."

"I will do no such thing," Weiss said.

"You will do precisely that!" Jacques shouted as he came out from around the desk. "And until you do, you are unfit to be my heir, and you won't get one last Sien of my money!"

Weiss swallowed hard, but she stood her ground. Father withholding her trust fund from her was the one thing he still had on her, and judging by the evil smirk on his face, he knew it. Weiss realized that this was it. Every other difficult decision she'd ever had to make was just a dress rehearsal for this moment.

In a wavering voice, Weiss said, "I don't want it."

"What did you say?" Jacques asked.

"I don't want the company, and I don't want your money," Weiss said.

"You daft fool!" Jacques said. "What's gotten into your head that you think you can just walk away from your family?!"

"Nothing but the truth, Father!" Weiss said. "Our family has made its fortune on the suffering of others, and I won't be a part of it any longer!"

"Don't you dare raise your voice to me!" Jacques roared. His hand came up, and he slapped Weiss hard across the cheek.

Weiss yelped as her head jerked to the side. The slap hadn't hurt thanks to her aura, but it had caught her by surprise.

Weiss turn back to Jacques, when all of a sudden, shouting came from the other side of the office door. There was the sound of feet stomping, and then three rapid shots from a rifle rang out.

"What on Remnant!?" Jacques exclaimed.

The door shook as something heavy was thrown against it. There were the sounds of a brief struggle, followed by two thuds, and then there was silence.

Jacques instinctively backed up toward the wall.

Suddenly, the door was blown off its hinges, and it fell to the floor with a wham. Standing in the now empty frame was Yang. Her fists were clenched, her hair was glowing, and her eyes were red like blood.

"Yang!" Weiss shouted.

"You leave her alone!" Yang roared.

"No! Yang, stop!" Weiss said.

It was too late. Yang charged at Jacques. Weiss thrust her fingers out and managed to conjure up a white glyph just in time. Yang's fists crashed against the glyph, scant inches from where Jacques stood. The glyph wavered as it absorbed the massive force.

Jacques backed up to the wall and cowered against it. Fear was not an emotion his face was used to expressing, but right now he was looking at the raging beast coming for him with abject terror.

Yang pulled her fist back and slammed it into Weiss's glyph with everything she had. There was a bright flash of light, and the glyph burst into a million twinkling shards that quickly faded from sight.

Yang stalked toward Jacques.

"Yang!" Weiss shouted again. She sprinted forward and collided with Yang just as she threw another punch. Yang's fist veered off course and smashed into the corner of the desk, sending up a spray of splintered wood.

"Stop, Yang!" Weiss shouted. "He doesn't have an aura! You'll kill him!"

"Just let me break his legs," Yang said.

"No, Yang!" Weiss said.

"It's less than he deserves," Yang said.

"It doesn't matter," Weiss said. "Please, Yang. He may deserve it, but he's still my father."

Yang was silent for a moment. She squeezed her fist so tightly that her knuckles cracked, but then she took a step back.

Weiss glanced at Father who was still pressed up against the wall. She supposed she should find the fear in his eyes satisfying, but she didn't. In spite of everything, she still wished for the love of the father she'd known when she'd been very young.

Weiss grabbed the letter still sitting on the desk and then tugged on Yang's arm. "Come on. Let's get out of here," she said.

Yang resisted at first, but then she let Weiss pull her away. The two of them walked through the empty door frame and stepped over the pair of unconscious guards sprawled out on the floor.

As Weiss and Yang walked toward the elevator, Weiss heard Jacques's voice echo down the hallway. "You'll pay for that! Do you hear me!? You'll pay!"

Weiss looked grim. She knew that wasn't an idle threat.

Weiss and Yang got back on the elevator and the doors closed. Yang reached for the buttons, but Weiss batted her hand away. She said, "Why did you do that!? I had everything under control!"

"Under control? He hit you!" Yang said. "It was bad enough listening to him yell at you like that, but he hit you!"

"I'm fine," Weiss said. "You've hit me harder than that."

"When we were sparring," Yang said. "That's not the same thing and you know it. What happened in there anyway?"

Weiss held up the letter in her hand. "He knows," she said.

"I figured it was something like that," Yang said. "I guess it's all over then."

"No, it would have been all over," Weiss said. "But now Father has an excuse to come after you."

"Pff. What could he do to me?" Yang asked.

"I don't know," Weiss said. "What could one of the richest, most powerful men on the planet, who you just assaulted, do to you?"

"Oh," Yang said.

"'Oh' is right," Weiss said.

"Weiss, I'm…sorry," Yang said.

"Don't apologize to me," Weiss said. "I'm not mad at you. I'm scared for you."

Yang opened her mouth to say something more, but then she closed it again.

Weiss folded Yang's letter and put it in her pocket where it belonged. She hit the button for the ground floor, and the elevator started to descend. Weiss sighed and said, "Thank you for coming to my defense. I just wish you'd think before you act sometimes."

On the ground floor, the elevator doors opened. Weiss and Yang walked out and headed straight for the exit. No sooner had they stepped outside, however, than Weiss saw Whitley standing there. Weiss had assumed that Whitley had given Father the letter—he must have pocketed one that day she'd caught him in the dorm. The smug look on his face all but confirmed it.

"You!" Weiss said.

"Yes. Me," Whitley said. "You look upset, Sister. I hope nothing unfortunate has happened."

"Shut up!" Weiss said. "You well know what's happened! How could you do this to me?!"

"You asked me what I wanted," Whitley said. "I decided I wanted the Company. Really, it's better this way."

Yang asked, "This sniveling little wimp is your brother, Weiss?"

Whitley looked at Yang like he'd just noticed she was there. "I'm sorry. I don't think we know each other."

"I'm Yang. And we don't know each other. But I know your type," Yang said. "You think you're owed everything, and you don't care who you hurt to get what you want. Isn't that right?"

"Charming," Whitley said. "So you're the infamous Yang Xiao Long. I'm not sure what my sister sees in you."

"Whitley," Weiss said. "Don't do this. Not today."

"There's nothing wrong with some friendly conversation," Whitley said. "And I need to thank Miss Xiao Long."

Yang asked, "Thank me for what?"

"For corrupting my sister," Whitley said. "Tell me. Was it difficult? Or did you simply rub your teats in her face?"

Weiss could almost feel Yang snap. However, Yang's eyes didn't turn red. They were still a serene lilac color, and her expression was completely placid. It was the most terrifying thing Weiss had ever seen. Weiss had an inkling of what was about to happen. She knew she should stop it. But Whitley wasn't Father, and he really shouldn't have spoken so disrespectfully to Yang.

"Hey, Weiss," Yang said, calm as could be. "Does he have an aura?"

"No," Weiss said.

"Good," Yang said. She slammed her fists together and exploded into a pillar of flame.

Whitley actually shrieked. Even Weiss had to avert her eyes for an instant. The flames raging over Yang were burning so fiercely that Weiss could feel their heat, even through her aura.

Whitley practically tripped over his own feet trying to run away. Yang crouched down low and then leaped into the air. She soared over Whitley's head and landed in his path. Whitley screamed and fell backward onto the ground.

"Where do you think you're going?" Yang said.

"You-you can't do this! My father will…!" Whitley stammered.

"Are you really trying to hide behind your daddy's skirt? Pathetic," Yang said. "It's funny you think he could even stop me. I just beat the crap out of his guards a minute ago."

Yang took a step forward. Whitley was sweating from the heat rolling off of Yang. He scrambled backward in a vain attempt to escape.

"Now listen up and listen good you little pissant," Yang said. "You're going to leave Weiss alone from now on. If you don't, I'll be coming for you. And _when_ I get my hands on you, there won't be enough left of you to fit into a coffee cup. Understand?"

Whitley couldn't do anything but nod.

"Say it!" Yang shouted.

"I understand," Whitley wailed.

"Good," Yang said. The flames dancing over her spontaneously vanished. "We're done here, Weiss. Let's go."

Weiss walked past Whitley. She glanced down at him and said, "I warned you not to do that. Just remember, you can only push people so far before they push back. And not everyone is as nice as Yang."

Weiss joined Yang, and the two of them walked away.

Once Weiss and Yang were out of earshot from Whitley, Yang said, "I suppose you're going to yell at me for that one too."

"No," Weiss said. "Whitley had it coming."

* * *

A few minutes later, Weiss and Yang were sitting on a lonely bench over in a secluded corner of campus. Neither one of them were saying anything. They were just staring out at nothing in particular.

Yang sighed heavily. "This is all wrong," she finally said. "I thought you were going to help me figure out what I was going to do with my life. Instead…."

"Instead you help me figure out what I'm going to do with mine," Weiss said.

"Weiss, that's not true," Yang said. "Even I know that your dad's never going to give you back your money now."

Weiss lowered her head. "It's not my money," she said. "It never was. I just now realized that. It's always been his."

"That doesn't mean you shouldn't be able to have it," Yang said.

"It's better this way," Weiss said. "I'll appreciate things more. I'm glad Father cut me off."

Yang smiled weakly. "You're a terrible liar," she said.

"Yes, I know," Weiss said. "But anything of worth I've accomplished so far in life hasn't been because of my family's wealth."

"This is going to sound stupid, but I'm actually kind of relieved," Yang said.

"How's that?" Weiss asked.

"Well I'm pretty sure we're going to tie the knot someday, and I was worried I wasn't going to be able to handle your lifestyle," Yang said. "I mean, come on. Can you see me living in a mansion with maids and stuff, or going to snooty restaurants all the time? I just couldn't handle being rich. What would I even spend the money on?"

"You're assuming that I would've trusted you with the money," Weiss said. "I still haven't forgotten how you wanted to spend some of the budget for the school dance on strippers."

Yang started chuckling. It quickly grew into a full belly laugh. Weiss joined in, and soon they were both laughing so hard that they cried.

The laughter eventually trailed off. Yang looked up into the sky and watched the clouds drifting by. She asked, "What's your dad going to do to me?"

"I imagine he'll have you arrested at the very least," Weiss said.

"Jail won't be so bad," Yang said. "Free room and board. Fights in the yard if I'm lucky. Don't forget about the conjugal visits, eh?"

"Yang…" Weiss said.

"Sorry," Yang said. "I guess we're not going to worm our way out of this one. When you think about it, you're dad's kind of like a king. It'd be hard to get one up on him."

"Kings can be deposed," Weiss said absently. Suddenly, an idea struck her like a bolt of lightning. How could she not have seen it? All the pieces had been right there in front of her.

"That's it!" Weiss said.

"What's it?" Yang asked.

"We can get one up on my father!" Weiss said. She sprung up from the bench and started walking with a purpose.

Yang jumped up and followed after Weiss. She said, "I don't understand. What are you talking about?"

"I'll tell you what I'm talking about," Weiss said. "You and I are going to win."

* * *

 _Author's Note: I expect there to be some debate on whether or not Jacques would have an active aura. On the one hand, in Volume 1 Jaune makes it clear that not every human does. On the other hand, an aura would be an incredibly useful thing for a man like Jacques Schnee to have. I guess the real question is, does every human (and faunus) in the RWBY-verse have the potential to have their aura activated? And if so, how hard is it to do? As far as I know, these are still unanswered questions. At least I hope so, otherwise this chapter makes me look rather foolish._

 _Astute readers might noticed that Whitley scheme here bears a resemblance to canon Whitley's one in Volume 4. Like I said in the author's note waaay back after Chapter 2, I conceived of this story before Volume 4 finished airing, including this part. I guess RWBY's writers and I were thinking along similar lines._

 _The end is in sight. Only one more chapter to go!_

 _As always, I welcome constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave a review. And if you like what you've read, taking the time to favorite and/or follow really helps me out. You can also find me on tumblr (electronicyarn) if you want to send me a message or be notified of updates._


	28. Threats, Promises, and One Final Gambit

**Chapter 28: Threats, Promises, and One Final Gambit**

It had only been a matter of hours after Weiss's confrontation with Father that Winter had sent her a communications request through the CCT Network. Weiss was only too happy to take Winter's call. She really needed to speak with her and not just for her sympathetic ear. Weiss had immediately headed for the CCT Tower. She was seated in front of a console now, impatiently waiting for the system to connect her with the Tower in Atlas.

The screen in front of Weiss finally flickered to life, and the image of Winter appeared.

Weiss didn't wait for Winter to say hello. She just asked, "I assume you've heard?"

"If you're referring to your…disagreement with Father. The whole family has heard," Winter said. "Judging by the deliberate language he used in his message, you've succeeded quite handily in enraging him."

"He's overreacting as usual," Weiss said.

"Is he?" Winter asked. "Then Yang didn't assault him?"

"Well…yes, she did," Weiss admitted.

"That is unfortunate," Winter said.

"I know," Weiss said. "That's why I need your help."

"There is little I can do," Winter said. "If I know Father, he will undoubtedly press charges against Yang. And he's well within his legal right to do so."

"I know that too," Weiss said. "But I'm going to negotiate with him."

"Oh?" Winter asked, sounding intrigued. "And what do you intend to offer in exchange for Yang's freedom?"

"In exchange, I won't tell the world about what goes on in the Schnee Dust Company's mines," Weiss said.

Winter's eyes narrowed. "That's a very dangerous game you intend to play. Father will not take kindly to it."

"Which is why I need your support," Weiss said. "It would be near-impossible for the media to ignore two members of the Schnee Family making the same claim. Father can't afford to let that happen."

"Weiss…" Winter said. "That would spell disaster for the Family. Furthermore, without evidence, it would end up doing little good."

Weiss had suspected that Winter would say that. Fortunately, she had a trump card. She said, "I have evidence."

Winter actually looked surprised. "Show me," she said.

Weiss pulled out her scroll and plugged it into the console. Blake's contact had come through. He'd gone undercover with a hidden camera into the Company mines. Weiss had only found out about it a little while ago. She pulled up the video file he'd sent and transmitted it to Winter.

Winter was silent as the video popped up on her screen. She let it play for less than a minute before she closed the file. Weiss didn't blame her; the footage wasn't pretty.

"I can get more, if you're not convinced," Weiss said.

"That won't be necessary," Winter said.

"Then you'll help me?" Weiss asked.

Winter didn't say anything.

"What's more important?" Weiss asked. "The Family's immediate good name or its legacy? We can still fix this, and if the drive for change comes from within the Family, maybe we won't be remembered as monsters."

"You underestimate our family's will to change," Winter said. "And you underestimate Father. There is so much worse he could do to you than what he's already threatened."

"I don't have a choice," Weiss said. "If Father came after the love of your life, would you do any less?"

"No," Winter said. She closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, she looked straight at Weiss and said, "You have my support."

"Thank you, Winter," Weiss said.

"Does this mean you've given up on somehow ending the faunus plight?" Winter asked. "That is what you will be promising to Father."

Weiss said, "There are other ways for the public to find out about what's happening besides you or me telling them."

"I see," Winter said. "Regardless, I must be going. Weiss? Good luck."

The screen went dark. Weiss let out a sigh of relief. Winter wasn't wrong about Father. He wouldn't give in easily. But with Winter on her side, Weiss knew she could do this.

Weiss unplugged her scroll from the console. She was surprised to find a message waiting for her on it. It must have been sent from outside of Vale. If so, it would have downloaded onto her scroll when she'd connected it to the CCT Network just now.

Weiss opened up her scroll.

 _Mother:  
I was most distraught to hear what your father had to say about you. We raised you better than to be seduced by some jezebel. I will pray for you to come to your senses quickly and see the error of your ways._

Weiss's lips turned up into a sneer. She slammed her scroll shut and shoved it angrily into her pocket. That message might have been more words than Mother had spared for her in a long time. If Weiss had known that disappointing Mother would finally get her attention again, maybe she would have done it years ago.

Weiss took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Mother's ignorant condemnation hurt bitterly, but Weiss had more important things to worry about at the moment. She would cry later with Yang there to comfort her.

Weiss got up from her seat and headed to the elevator. She took it down to the ground floor of the tower. When she walked outside, she found Yang, Blake, and Ruby all waiting there for her.

"Well?" Yang asked. "What did Winter say?"

Weiss said, "She's going to help us."

Ruby said, "I told you she would. Older sisters are awesome like that."

Blake asked, "Did you show her the video?"

Weiss said, "Yes. I don't think I would have been able to convince her otherwise. Make sure your contact knows how grateful I am."

"I will," Blake said. "He's already busy getting more."

Ruby said, "Looks like we're ready then."

Yang asked, "So do we go to your dad now, or—?"

Yang was cut off by the ringing of Weiss's scroll. Everyone looked at Weiss with trepidation.

Weiss pulled her scroll out of her pocket. She answered it and said, "Hello?"

"Hello again, Ms. Schnee," Ozpin said on the other end of the line.

"Professor Ozpin?" Weiss asked. She hadn't been expecting a call from him.

"Correct as usual," Ozpin said. "I was wondering if you and Ms. Xiao Long would join me in my office. I've become aware of the altercation between her and your father. I think it would be in everyone's best interest to discuss the matter with all parties present."

"Yes of course, Professor," Weiss said.

"Excellent," Ozpin said. "I've already contacted your father. I await your arrival."

"We'll be right there," Weiss said. She hung up her scroll and put it away.

Ruby asked, "What did Ozpin want?"

Weiss said, "He wants to talk to Yang and me about what happened."

Yang said, "Let's go then!"

"Yang," Weiss said. "Father will be there too."

"Oh," Yang said. "It's not a problem. We're ready for him."

"Ready as we'll ever be," Weiss said.

Weiss, Yang, Blake, and Ruby all looked at each other. There was a palpable sense of foreboding in the air.

Blake coughed to get everyone's attention. "Would this be the right moment for a…group hug?" she asked.

Yang smiled. She said, "It's always the right moment for that."

Ruby said, "You heard her. Group hug!"

Team RWBY all came together in a collective embrace. Weiss felt herself tearing up. She'd come to Beacon for many reasons. She'd learned and done and seen so much, just like she'd planned. But what she never could have planned for was the incredible friendships she'd made here. Ruby, Yang, and Blake had all changed her life forever. No matter what was about to happen, she wouldn't take back one thing about her time at Beacon.

Everyone let go of each other. Weiss said, "Thank you all so much. Are you ready, Yang?"

"Ready," Yang said with a confident nod.

"Let's go," Weiss said.

Weiss and Yang started walking toward Beacon's tower.

Blake called out after them, "Remember that we're behind you all the way!"

"Yeah!" Ruby said. "Kick Mr. Schnee's butt! I mean…not literally this time. You know what I mean! Good luuuck!"

* * *

The moment Weiss and Yang set foot in Beacon's central tower, they headed straight for the elevator.

Yang asked, "Do you think Whitley told your dad about what I did to him?"

"I doubt it, actually," Weiss said. "He's desperate to prove to Father that he's worthy to be his heir. He wouldn't want to look weak."

"Well I guess that's one less thing to worry about," Yang said.

Weiss and Yang got onto the elevator, and Yang hit the button for the top floor. Weiss pulled out her scroll. There was one last thing she needed to do to prepare for Father. She opened up an application on her scroll and hit a button. Then she slipped her scroll back into her pocket.

The elevator ride seemed to take forever. Weiss's hand found Yang's, and she held on tight. They both looked at each other. Weiss reached up with her free hand and tapped her cheek twice.

Yang smiled. "Me too," she said tenderly.

The elevator doors finally opened, and Weiss and Yang stepped out into Ozpin's office. Ozpin was seated at his desk, and standing before him was Jacques.

"I resent this, Ozpin!" Jacques was saying. "This is none of your concern!"

"To the contrary," Ozpin said. "The matter in question happened at my school, in this very building none the less. That makes it my concern."

Ozpin looked past Jacques at Weiss and Yang, prompting Jacques to turn around. "You!" Jacques said to Yang. "What are you doing here?!"

"I go to this school," Yang said. "What's your excuse?"

Jacques's eyes felt to where Weiss's and Yang's hands were clasped together. "You will let go of my daughter right now," he said to Yang in a dangerous tone.

"Nope," Yang said.

Jacques gritted his teeth, but he didn't say anything more.

"Well look at that," Yang said. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say he's scared of me."

"Ms. Xiao Long, please," Ozpin said. "I was hoping we could discuss what has happened without antagonizing one another further."

"There's nothing to discuss," Jacques said. "I have the matter well in hand."

Weiss asked, "What do you mean by that, Father?"

"I mean that I intend to see your precious Yang thrown in jail to rot," Jacques said. "Attempted murder should do. It comes with a nice, long sentence."

"Attempted murder?!" Weiss exclaimed. "That's ridiculous!"

"My lawyers will disagree," Jacques said. "And if my guards want to file assault and battery charges, I wouldn't be inclined to stop them."

"Be reasonable, Father!" Weiss said.

"I tried being reasonable, and look where that's led us," Jacques said. "But if you're so intent on saving your…friend, you know what you have to do. Come home with me where we can see to your rehabilitation."

"I don't need rehabilitation!" Weiss said. "And you are going to leave Yang alone."

"Oh?" Jacques asked, sounding amused.

Weiss let go of Yang's hand. She walked toward Jacques until she was close enough to stare him down. "I know what happens in the Company's mines, despite your best efforts to hide it," she said. "I know about the beatings and the abuse. I've seen the scars left behind from the whippings. If you do anything to Yang, I'll make sure the whole world knows!"

To Weiss's surprise, Jacques didn't look concerned in the least. "And how do you imagine you'll do that?" he asked.

"I have evidence! And Winter will back me up!" Weiss said.

"What you have is not a scrap of money to your name and none of the resources of the Schnee Dust Company that you're so used to enjoying," Jacques said. "I have the best PR team in the world. They're quite adept at handling this sort of thing. And as for Winter. She still draws quite heavily on the Family's money. She'll be easy to dissuade from doing anything foolish."

Weiss was taken aback. Panic slowly crept up in her. She hadn't thought that she'd actually need to follow through with her threat. And Father had raised some very good points. Even she might not be able to make the world believe her.

"An impressive effort," Jacques said. "But you still have much to learn. Now it's time to face reality, young lady. If you want to save Yang, you'll have to come with me."

Ozpin suddenly said, "That's not necessarily true."

"Excuse me?" Jacques asked.

"A word in the ears of certain people of influence, people I happen to know personally, would go a long way toward bringing any crimes the Schnee Dust Company may have committed to light," Ozpin said.

"Are you threatening me, Ozpin?" Jacques asked.

"No. I am merely stating a fact," Ozpin said.

"You may be the headmaster of Beacon Academy," Jacques said. "But you do not want me as your enemy."

"I've faced, and continue to face, far worse than you," Ozpin said. "Quite frankly, you're not significant enough to be anything more than a nuisance to me."

"How dare you!" Jacques said.

"You would also be advised to consider what the case against Ms. Xiao Long would bring to light," Ozpin said. "I recall there being three bullet holes in the wall opposite the office I provided for you. Ms. Xiao Long, were those your doing?"

"No," Yang said. "I wasn't even wearing my gauntlets."

"My, my," Ozpin said. "Schnee Dust Company personnel firing on an unarmed young woman?"

"A huntress-in-training is no mere 'unarmed young woman'," Jacques said.

"You may argue that if you wish," Ozpin said. "But it still casts the security services of your company in a poor light if they were unable to protect the head of their own company against someone who wasn't even armed. In fact, I see no need to employ your company to upgrade Beacon's security. Consider our prospective business relationship terminated."

"You…!" Jacques said, but then he visibly calmed himself. "Why even involve yourself in this, Ozpin? Surely it's beneath you."

"If what Ms. Schnee says is true about your company's labor practices, it is not something I can condone or overlook," Ozpin said. "More to the immediate point, you're threatening the futures of two of my most promising students. I would be a poor headmaster if I didn't involve myself in that."

Weiss said, "It looks like I have more resources than you thought, Father. Walk away from this. Before things get worse for you."

"Enough!" Jacques bellowed. "You will do as I say, Weiss! Or I'll make sure your precious Yang is buried in a hole so deep, she'll never see the light of day again!"

A deafening silence fell over the room. But then the corners of Weiss's mouth turned up in an evil smile. "Thank you, Father," she said.

Weiss pulled out her scroll. She hit a button, and Jacques's words echoed in the room once more. " _Or I'll make sure your precious Yang is buried in a hole so deep, she'll never see the light of day again!_ "

"Blackmail is a crime, Father," Weiss said.

"Why you little, insolent, traitorous…!" Jacques shouted as he stalked toward Weiss. Without a second thought, he slapped her across the face as hard as he ever had.

The force of the blow made Weiss's head whip to the side, but the smile didn't leave her face.

Yang took a menacing step forward.

Suddenly, Jacques's eyes went wide, and he stepped back.

Yang crossed her arms. "I don't know," she said. "I'm no lawyer, but that looked like assault to me."

"Actually," Weiss said. "It would be battery."

"Looks like somebody's in trouble," Yang said. "I wonder if he'll get jail time. That might get awkward. I don't think there's a prison in the world without a few faunus in it."

"How dare you! All of you!" Jacques shouted.

"You don't scare us, Father," Weiss said. "You know what you need to do to make this go away."

"Fine. Fine! Enjoy your life of sin and destitution!" Jacques said. He thrust a finger at Weiss. "But you are no longer a Schnee! You never will be again! I disown you entirely!"

Jacques marched toward the elevator, and like that, he was gone.

Yang ran over to Weiss. She cupped Weiss's cheek where she'd been slapped. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm fine," Weiss said.

Yang threw her arms around Weiss and hugged her tightly. "Is it really over?" she asked.

"I think it is," Weiss said, not quite daring to believe it herself.

"That was so awesome seeing you stand up to him," Yang said.

"It was rather audacious," Ozpin suddenly said in an amused tone. "Especially since you essentially blackmailed your father not two minutes after accusing him of the same."

Weiss had been so overcome with the rush of relief that she'd almost forgotten Ozpin was in the room. Out of habit, she pulled herself out of Yang's hug. "I guess I'm more like my father than I thought," she said. "Thank you for helping us, Professor. Thank you so much."

"You're quite welcome," Ozpin said. "I'm sorry a way couldn't have been found to reconcile your and your father's differences."

"That was never going to happen," Weiss said sadly.

Yang asked, "Do you think he'll ever get it through his head that us being together is okay?"

"I don't know," Weiss said. "Maybe someday."

Ozpin said, "Ms. Schnee, regarding your allegations about the Schnee Dust Company…."

"They're true," Weiss said.

"This must be investigated," Ozpin said.

"I agree," Weiss said. "But please don't make any of your findings public just yet."

Yang asked, "But…we are going to tell everyone eventually, right?"

"Of course," Weiss said. "But I don't want to inspire revenge against my family. I want to encourage change in a positive way."

"I understand, Ms. Schnee," Ozpin said. "You have my full support."

"Thank you again," Weiss said.

"Now, Ms. Xiao Long," Ozpin said. "I am aware of what led you to attack Mr. Schnee, and while I by no means agree with him over his treatment of his own daughter, your response was an overreaction. We will be having a discussion on the appropriate use of force later. But for now, I suggest you enjoy the rest of your day with Ms. Schnee."

"Sure thing, Ozpin," Yang said.

Weiss elbowed Yang.

"Oh, uh, I mean, _Professor_ Ozpin," Yang said.

Ozpin smiled. "If you two will excuse me," he said. "I have a great deal of work to attend to. The least of which is preempting any fuss Mr. Schnee might choose to raise."

"I apologize if we've caused trouble for you," Weiss said.

"Trouble? With Ms. Xiao Long involved, I would expect nothing less," Ozpin said.

"You know it!" Yang said proudly.

"However," Ozpin continued. "This incident has given me an excuse to not follow through with those security upgrades General Ironwood was so insistent on."

"I'm…glad it all worked out then," Weiss said. "We'll leave you to your work. Come along, Yang."

Weiss and Yang rode the elevator down and left the tower. They started strolling aimlessly around campus. Weiss was surprised. Despite everything that had just happened, she felt light and carefree. Maybe the reality of the situation hadn't hit her yet, but she truly believed that this was a new beginning for her. There were bound to be difficulties ahead, but she was ready to face them. Maybe today was the day her life truly began.

Yang shoved her hands into her pockets. She said, "That was pretty crazy. So, uh, now what do we do, Miss Weiss?"

Weiss laughed.

"Something funny?" Yang asked.

"It's not, really," Weiss said. "But I was just thinking that 'Miss Weiss' might very well be my full name now."

"Are you…okay with that?" Yang asked.

"I am," Weiss said.

Yang smiled. She pulled her hands out of her pockets and put them on Weiss's shoulders. "Thank you for keeping me out of jail. I'm not sure if I can ever pay you back for that."

"I wasn't about to let Father destroy one more life," Weiss said. "Especially not yours."

"Hmm," Yang said. She let go of Weiss's shoulders and looked Weiss over with a smirk on her lips.

"I know that expression," Weiss said. "What are you thinking about?"

"If you're not Miss Weiss Schnee anymore, how does Mrs. Weiss Xiao Long sound?" Yang asked.

Weiss's cheeks flushed. "That…that has a nice ring to it."

"I want to wear the dress at our wedding!" Yang said.

"Couldn't we both wear dresses?" Weiss asked.

"We could," Yang said. "But I'd bet you'd rock a white suit. And it'd match the flowers in my hair. They'd be daisies of course. We could split the bride's maids. Ruby, Blake, Pyrrha, Nora, I can think of a few more too. Maybe Jaune and Ren could be bride's men? Is that a thing?"

"You've really thought about this," Weiss said.

"Well yeah," Yang said. "What kind of little girl doesn't dream about her wedding day."

"I'm sure there are plenty who don't," Weiss said. She smiled and added, "I want to plan the reception."

"Duh," Yang said. "I couldn't stop you if I tried."

"I suppose we'll have to start saving money for this grand event now," Weiss said. "Somehow."

"No need," Yang said. "The bride's family is supposed to pay for the wedding."

"But which one of us is—?" Weiss asked.

"Me! I'm wearing the dress, remember?" Yang said. "Actually, we'd both be brides I guess, but still."

"So you're going to hoist the bill onto your father?" Weiss asked.

"Are you kidding?" Yang asked. "He's been squirreling away money he thinks I don't know about for my and Ruby's weddings for years. He's going to be more excited about it than I am!"

"Before we talk about weddings, I should meet your father at least once," Weiss said.

"Oh yeah," Yang said. "That'll be fun. He's going to love you. You want to come home with me at the end of the semester?"

"I would love to," Weiss said.

"And then we'll get married?" Yang asked.

Weiss chuckled. "That might be a bit premature," she said.

"How about the week after then?" Yang asked.

"I'll tell you what," Weiss said. "As soon as we've both graduated, I'll propose to you. That should encourage you to keep your grades up."

"What if I propose to you first?" Yang asked.

"I'm going to be wearing the suit, remember?" Weiss asked.

"You got me there," Yang said. "Alright, Weissy. It's a deal."

"Agreed," Weiss said.

Weiss and Yang looked at each other for a minute or two. Then Yang asked, "Did we just sort of pre-propose to each other?"

"I suppose we did," Weiss said.

"Alright. Great," Yang said. "I guess that leaves the rest of the day free."

Weiss smiled. "And I know exactly what I want to do with it. I want to hold your hand in public."

"Really?" Yang asked.

"Absolutely," Weiss said. "There's no need for secrecy anymore. I want the whole world to know that Yang Xiao Long is my girlfriend."

Yang grinned big. She planted a kiss on Weiss's lips. Then just as quickly, she grabbed Weiss's hand. Weiss followed along as Yang took her to the statue in the center of Beacon, which just so happened to be one of the most heavily trafficked parts of campus. Today was no exception. Hundreds of students were there, on their way to a dozen different destinations.

Yang jumped up onto the dais that the statue sat on and pulled Weiss up with her. "Hey everybody, listen up!" Yang shouted. "I've got something important to say!"

* * *

 ** _Edit: This story now has one more chapter! Be sure to check it out!_**

 _Author's Note:_ _Remember kids, assault and battery are not the same thing! Although now, I'm wondering how a thing like aura would factor into the laws of the RWBY-verse. Especially if not every human (and faunus) has an active one. Would a person with an aura attacking one without count as assault with a deadly weapon? Never mind. I think I'm going off on a tangent._

 _This was a great project to work on, but also an exhausting one. I'm definitely going to have to take a break so I can come back fresh for the next story. Thank you everyone for your comments and reviews and such. Some days I still can't believe that anyone reads my stories, much less enjoys them. I'll see you all next time!_

 _As always, I welcome constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave a review. And if you like what you've read, taking the time to favorite and/or follow really helps me out. You can also find me on tumblr (electronicyarn) if you want to send me a message or be notified of updates._


	29. Forever and For Now

_Author's Note: Well, I thought this story was done, but several of you said it needed one more chapter. You know what? You're right. The truth is I was getting burned out of working on this story, but I'm refreshed enough now to give it that little bit more it needs._

 _Don't expect anything too spectacular. This is just the falling action after last chapter's big climax, but I think it rounds out the story a little nicer. Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 29: Forever and For Now**

The next morning, the skies over Beacon were bright and clear with not a cloud in sight. High above campus, an airship was steadily sailing toward the horizon. Weiss was watching it intently from the window of Team RWBY's dorm room, keeping her eyes trained on it even as it faded off into the distance. Jacques and Whitley were on board. They were heading back to Atlas, and the last vestiges of Weiss's life as an heiress were leaving with them.

Weiss felt a tiny pang of sorrow. Being excommunicated from the Schnee Family didn't suddenly erase a lifetime of emotional connections. Despite everything, Weiss had never wanted to cut Father or even Whitley out of her life. She couldn't help but wonder if she could have found some way to make them understand, or at least tolerate who and what she was. She supposed it didn't matter now. She'd made her choice, and she was more than prepared to live with it.

The airship continued to pull away from Beacon. It was little more than a spec now. Then, like that, it was gone. Weiss let out a breath. She hadn't seen or spoken to Father since their confrontation in Ozpin's office yesterday. But only now did she feel like it was over.

Weiss turned away from the window. She may no longer be welcome in her own family, but she was far from alone. In fact, Yang hadn't left her side since yesterday. Right now Yang was reclining on Weiss's bed like she owned it. Weiss supposed the bed was just as much Yang's as it was hers at this point. The two of them had shared it last night, and Weiss intended for them to keep on sharing it for the foreseeable future. Yang was her girlfriend, and she was going to fully embrace everything that meant. Especially now that their relationship was out in the open.

True to Yang's nature, her public declaration of her love for Weiss in the middle of campus yesterday had been anything but subtle. Especially since she'd kissed Weiss in full view of everybody. Weiss hadn't been expecting a kiss, but even if she had, she wouldn't have tried to stop Yang. It had been wonderful to finally be open about her feelings. She just wished she could see the look on Father's face when the media got hold of the pictures someone must have inevitably taken.

In a way, Weiss felt sorry for Father. By the time he landed in Atlas, word would have spread, not only about her relationship with Yang, but that not all was well in the Schnee Family. Weiss wondered which shocking turn of events would end up being the bigger news item. Either way, it wouldn't take long before a connection was drawn between the two. Every news show, media outlet, and gossip rag in Atlas was going to be beating down Father's door demanding answers.

Weiss looked at Yang over on her bed. A smile crossed her face. Let Father have his kingdom. She'd found something so much better.

Yang must have felt Weiss's eyes on her because she turned and looked at her. She asked, "Are they gone?"

"Yes," Weiss said.

"Good riddance," Yang said. "I still can't believe how your dad treated you."

"I'm not going to waste my energy worrying about it," Weiss said. "He made his feelings very clear."

"That doesn't make it right," Yang said.

"No. It doesn't," Weiss said. "But I can't make Father's choices for him. I can only make mine."

"Do you still think you made the right one?" Yang asked.

"Absolutely," Weiss said without hesitation.

Yang actually breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good. I was kind of scared that you'd wake up today and want to take it all back."

"Yang. I love you," Weiss said. "That's what's most important to me, and that's not going to change."

"Yeah, I know but…you know," Yang said.

Weiss smiled and crossed her arms.

"What?" Yang asked.

"No one would ever believe me if I told them how insecure you're behaving right now," Weiss said.

"Yeah, yeah," Yang said. "I guess that's what happens when I love someone as much as I love you. Just don't tell anyone."

"Your reputation is safe with me," Weiss said.

Yang sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. She said, "I guess tomorrow we go back to class and pretend everything is normal again."

Weiss thought about that for a moment. She asked, "Isn't everything normal now?"

"I guess?" Yang said. "But, you know, you're not an heiress anymore."

"I'm not convinced that was ever my fate," Weiss said. "Even if it was, I don't think it's what I really wanted."

"Really?" Yang asked. "You seemed pretty set on it when I first met you."

"My grandfather didn't accomplish anything by sitting behind a desk or attending board meetings," Weiss said. "Now that there's nothing to interfere with my career as a huntress, my life will be more like his than I ever anticipated."

"Huh," Yang said. "I guess when you look at it that way your plans for the future haven't changed so much after all."

"They've changed even less than you think," Weiss said.

"What do you mean?" Yang asked.

"Well…" Weiss said. She took a few steps toward Yang. "Part of my plan was to marry someone not long after graduation who had mutually compatible career goals."

Yang's face lit up. "So you were being serious yesterday about all that wedding stuff," she said.

"Of course," Weiss said. "Weren't you?"

"You bet I was," Yang said.

"Good. Because there's no way you're getting out of it now," Weiss said.

"Like I'd even want to," Yang said.

"In the meantime, the weekend isn't over yet," Weiss said. "I think we've earned some rest and relaxation."

"Relaxation, huh," Yang said. A smirk spread across her lips, and her eyes started roaming over Weiss's body.

"What's that look for?" Weiss asked, knowing full well what Yang was thinking. She resisted the urge to shy away from Yang's gaze. She was resolute not to be ashamed of the desire she and Yang felt for one another.

Yang got up off the bed. "I can't help but notice that Ruby and Blake aren't here," she said.

"Yes. And?" Weiss asked, continuing to feign ignorance.

"It'd be a shame to waste our…alone time, don't you think?" Yang asked as she walked up to Weiss. She leaned forward, very intentionally giving Weiss an eyeful of her cleavage.

Weiss swallowed. She forced herself to meet Yang's eyes and said, "Sometimes I worry about your lack of inhibitions."

"Oh like you're one to talk," Yang said.

"What do you mean by that?" Weiss asked.

"I'm talking about yesterday at the statue," Yang said. "And that kiss."

" _I_ merely wanted to hold hands," Weiss said. " _You_ were the one who kissed me."

"Uh-huh," Yang said. She suddenly hooked an arm around Weiss and pulled her in close. "I may have started it, but you were the one who wouldn't let me stop."

"I-I did nothing of the sort," Weiss said, blushing. The sensation of Yang's body being so close to hers was making her feel warm in the most delightful way.

"Sure you didn't," Yang said.

"I can hardly be held responsible if kissing you in public was so…exhilarating," Weiss said.

Yang leaned in close until she was practically nose-to-nose with Weiss. "You want exhilarating? How about I give you a real kiss? If you think you can handle it."

Weiss's eyes flicked down to Yang's lips. "I can handle anything you've got, Xiao Long," she said.

"Oh yeah?" Yang asked. Her mouth drifted closer to Weiss's.

"Try me," Weiss said.

Yang grinned. Her hand reached around the back of Weiss's head, and she pulled Weiss into a kiss. It wasn't the hungry, frenzied one Weiss had been expecting; it was slow and simmering with passion. It was a kiss that felt like it would last forever. It stole Weiss's breath and made her heart ache with love. Enveloped in Yang's arms, Weiss lost track of her surroundings until there was nothing left in the world but the two of them.

Yang finally released Weiss from the kiss, but she still held her tight. Her head came to rest on Weiss's shoulder. Weiss leaned her cheek against Yang's head. She breathed deeply, and then let the breath out slowly. Maybe it was the safety of Yang's arms or maybe it was simply the distance of time, but a lingering bit of tension eased out of her.

"We did it," Weiss said.

"Did what?"

"We escaped my father."

"Yeah. We did."

Silence hung in the air as Weiss and Yang enjoyed the simple pleasure of holding each other close. But then Yang lifted her head. She looked at Weiss and said, "You know, I really should thank you for keeping me out of jail."

"You already did," Weiss said.

"Well I said thank you, yeah. But I'm talking about giving you a…reward." Yang's hand slid down Weiss's back and brushed against the fabric of her combat skirt.

A tingle of excitement shot up Weiss as Yang's fingers played with her hemline. She asked, "Would this be a reward for me or for you?"

"Mmm," Yang said. She started nibbling her way down Weiss's neck until she found a spot that made Weiss gasp. "Maybe both?"

Yang's other hand slipped inside Weiss's jacket and pushed it off one of Weiss's shoulders. Weiss's breath quickened as Yang started caressing the newly exposed skin. "You're right," Weiss said. "A reward is in order."

"I knew I could talk you into it," Yang said, leaning in to kiss Weiss again.

Suddenly, the door opened. Before Weiss or Yang could do anything, Ruby and Blake walked in.

"Hi guys!" Ruby said. "We were—agh!"

Ruby threw her hands over her eyes and spun around. At the same time, Weiss pulled out of Yang's arms in a panic. She yanked her jacket back into place. "What are you two doing here?!" she exclaimed.

"We live here," Blake said, sidestepping Ruby so she could get inside the room.

"Well, yes, but…" Weiss said.

Ruby wailed, "You guys are supposed to put a ribbon or a sock or something on the door when you're doing stuff like that!"

"Sorry, Sis," Yang said, sounding more amused than apologetic. "It was just kind of a spur-of-the-moment thing."

"Well the moment is officially over!" Ruby said. Then she asked, "Is it safe to look?"

Blake said, "It's safe."

Ruby turned around. She tentatively peeked through her fingers. Seeing that it really was safe, she dropped her hands and breathed a sigh of relief.

Blake said, "Why do I get the feeling this is going to happen a lot."

Ruby said, "Please tell me you're joking."

Blake said, "Maybe we should start knocking before we come in."

"Yeah," Ruby said. "That's probably a good idea."

"That's hardly necessary!" Weiss insisted. "We can control ourselves!"

Blake looked at Weiss with a wry smile.

"Well maybe not Yang," Weiss admitted. "But I certainly can."

Blake's smile got bigger.

"What? I can!" Weiss said. She didn't like what Blake was silently implying.

Ruby said, "Yeah, I think knocking's a good idea."

"Hey!" Weiss said.

"So…" Yang said, trying to change topics. "Is everyone on campus still talking about me and Weiss?"

"Ugh, yes," Ruby said. "I can't go anywhere without overhearing someone blabbering about it."

Blake said, "At least you didn't have to hear what Sun was saying."

Weiss groaned. "Please spare me the details."

"I think he's gotten most of it out of his system," Blake said. "But he did want to thank the two of you. Apparently, you won some sort of bet with Neptune for him."

Yang shook her head and laughed. "Poor Neptune," she said.

Weiss said, "I already sent him a message yesterday apologizing. Again."

"Don't worry," Yang said. "I'm sure he'll get over it."

Ruby said, "I hope everyone else hurries up and gets over it too. I don't see why it's such a big deal. I mean, I think it's great you two are dating, but lots of people are dating and no one's talking non-stop about them."

Blake chuckled. "Maybe it has something to do with a certain kiss I heard about."

Weiss blushed, but she held her head high and said, "I am well within my rights to kiss my girlfriend in public anytime I want to."

Yang said, "Good thing. Because I think I'm going to be kissing you in public a lot."

"Yaaang!" Ruby said. "Then people will never stop talking about it!"

"Hey! I couldn't even hold hands with Weiss outside our room," Yang said. "I'm going to be making up for lost time."

"Weiss! You have to stop my sister!" Ruby begged. "You're the only one who can control her!"

"It's too late for that, Rubes," Yang said with a grin. "Weiss was just telling me how thrilling kissing me in public was."

"Really, Weiss?" Ruby asked.

Weiss blushed again. She couldn't keep herself from smiling.

Ruby sighed. "I'm going to spend the rest of my life having to listen to people gossip about my sister and her girlfriend."

"Is that really so bad?" Weiss asked. "You said you were okay with me dating Yang."

"I am okay with it," Ruby said. "And you two are so cute when you're hugging or cuddling. But then you start kissing and bleck! But…if you two are happy, I guess it's okay."

"We are happy," Weiss said. "We'll…attempt to keep our public displays of affection in check."

Blake chuckled.

Weiss was about to object to Blake obvious lack of confidence when Yang said, "Speaking of public displays of affection. Weiss, I think you and I should go on a date next weekend."

"I would love to," Weiss said. "With all the recent excitement, a nice, normal date would be a wonderful change of pace."

"I don't know how normal it's going to be," Yang said. "Since we don't have to keep anything a secret anymore, we can do whatever we want!"

"That's true," Weiss said, and the more she thought about it, the more the notion pleased her. At the very least, if someone tried to hit on her or Yang this time, she could finally say what she really wanted to say to them.

"Oh," Yang said. "But I'm paying for it. So we can't do anything too crazy."

"I…suppose that's a given," Weiss said. Her expression soured.

"It's way past my turn again anyway," Yang said.

When Weiss didn't immediately respond, Yang asked, "Uh, Weiss? Are you okay?"

"Yes. I was just thinking about money," Weiss said. It had only been a day, but the cold reality of being cut off from the Schnee fortune was already sinking in.

"Oh," Yang said. "I'm sorry. I probably shouldn't have brought that up."

"It's fine," Weiss said. "It needs to be addressed. It's a long way until graduation, and Father won't be supporting me anymore. I suppose I'll have to find a job."

Blake said. "There are plenty of people who would be willing to hire a huntress-in-training. It's something we can all consider over the summer. But in the meantime…" She pulled a pamphlet out of her pocket. "Ruby and I came back here to give you this, Weiss. It's got information on student aid programs. Normally you can only apply at the beginning of the semester, but given your circumstances, they might make an exception for you. I'm sure Ozpin would be willing to help your application along too, if you asked him."

Weiss took the pamphlet from Blake. Her pride bristled at the notion of seeking a handout, but she knew practicality would have to win out in this case.

Ruby said, "Don't worry, Weiss. We're all here to help you out."

"Thank you," Weiss said. "All of you."

Yang smiled. "See? I told you we'd get you through this."

Weiss knew the road ahead wouldn't be easy, but the obstacles in front of her seem less daunting now, knowing that all her friends had her back.

"Welp," Ruby said. "I need to go. I, have an appointment."

Weiss asked, "You do? What kind of appointment?"

"Pyrrha managed to get a sparring room at the arena today, and she wanted me to join her," Ruby said, sounding smug.

"Alright, Sis!" Yang said, pumping her fist. "Go kick her butt!"

Blake said, "I should go too. Velvet is expecting me. I guess that means you two can get back to…what you were doing."

"Blaaake!" Ruby said. "Don't encourage them!"

"I don't think they need any encouragement," Blake said.

"Don't worry, Rubes," Yang said. "We're just going to, uh…study. Right, Weiss?"

"Right," Weiss said sardonically.

Ruby looked at Weiss and Yang like she didn't believe them. "Okay," she said warily.

"But since you're heading out…" Yang said. She walked over to the closet and opened it up. Then she pulled out the ribbon she wore as part of her school uniform. "Could you put this on the doorknob?"

"Nope! Too late! Don't want to think about it!" Ruby said. She vanished in a puff of rose peddles. The door flew open and banged against the wall as she made her escape.

"Yang," Weiss said. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't use our relationship to traumatize your sister."

"Oh, you're no fun," Yang said. She held the ribbon out to Blake. "Want to help me out, Partner?"

"Fine," Blake said, rolling her eyes. She took the ribbon from Yang and walked over to the open door. But then she paused and said, "Try not to make too much noise. Nora's been complaining that she can hear you across the hall."

"She what!?" Weiss exclaimed. "You're joking!"

Blake didn't say anything more. She just slipped out through the door and shut it behind her.

"She's joking, right?" Weiss asked Yang.

Yang was trying her best to hold in her laughter, but she couldn't. She doubled over in a fit of giggles.

Weiss huffed and said, "Maybe we need to use a gag."

"Oooh, kinky," Yang said, straightening back up.

"I-I didn't mean it like that!" Weiss stammered.

"Too bad," Yang said.

Weiss cleared her throat. She said, "All the same, maybe you should try to be quieter."

An impish grin spread across Yang's lips. "Between the two of us, I don't think I'm the loud one," she said.

"That's ridiculous!" Weiss said.

"You sure about that?" Yang asked. "I bet I can prove otherwise."

Weiss scowled. She wasn't above some good-natured teasing, but she was worried that Yang might be right. Suddenly, an evil idea popped into her head. If Yang was going to have fun at her expense, she was going to have to learn to take it as well as dish it out. Weiss said, "We'll have to worry about that later. Right now we have studying to do."

"Oh yeah, I'm all ready to do some 'studying'," Yang said, still grinning. But when Weiss didn't say anything more, her grin faded. "Wait. You're serious?"

"It's what you told Ruby we were going to do," Weiss said.

"Well yeah," Yang said. "But didn't you say earlier—"

"More to the point," Weiss interrupted, "with all that's been going on, we've both fallen behind on our homework."

Yang looked completely perturbed. She opened her mouth to protest, but then she closed it again. "Alright," she grumbled.

Weiss blinked. "You're actually agreeing?"

"If that's what you want to do," Yang said.

"You must really love me," Weiss said absently.

"I really do," Yang said. "So if you want to do homework, then alright. That's part of life, right? And I want to share the rest of my life with you. The good and the bad."

"That's…that's good," Weiss said, feeling her heart flutter. "Because I do too. You gave me the strength to make my life my own. I can't tell you what that means to me."

"Ah, Weiss…" Yang said.

Weiss leaned forward. She kissed Yang softly. Yang's eyes fluttered closed, and the two of them embraced. They held on tight, both to the moment and to each other.

When Weiss's and Yang's lips parted, Yang opened her eyes. They were wet with happy tears.

"Alright," Yang said, letting go of Weiss so she could dry her eyes. "Enough with the mushy stuff. What are we going to study?"

Weiss smiled. "I was thinking we should start by studying each other."

It took Yang just a moment to realize what Weiss was saying, but then she grinned and said, "Now you're talking, Weissy."

Weiss took Yang's hand and started guiding her toward their bed. If felt like a lifetime ago that Weiss had grappled with the fear that something was missing from her life. And she'd been right. Something had been missing. It had been moments like this. It had been spontaneous dinner dates, motorcycle rides, and hours spent talking about nothing in particular. It had been all the wonderful memories that filled Weiss's heart and made her life worth living.

Weiss looked longingly into Yang's eyes. "I love you, Yang," she said.

"I love you too, Weiss," Yang said. "Forever."

* * *

 _Author's Note:_ _And that's the end of the story for real this time. While I've got your attention, I have a vague idea for a sequel in my head. It still needs a lot of fleshing out, and I've got some other major projects I want to get to first, so don't expect anything soon. But I'm here to say that a sequel will definitely maybe probably happen at some point that is later than now. Unless "now" is the future and I did write it and it's already posted. Is that clear? Good._

 _Thanks for reading all the way to the end of this story. Again. I hope you enjoyed it._

 _As always, I welcome constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave a review. And if you like what you've read, taking the time to favorite and/or follow really helps me out. You can also find me on tumblr (electronicyarn) if you want to send me a message or be notified of updates._


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